Effects of mid-incubation egg movement on loggerhead (Caretta caretta) turtle hatch success and embryo development

Due to an emergency status dune restoration project following Subtropical Storm Andrea in 2007 on Singer Island, Florida, nests needed to be moved during early to mid-incubation. Nesting success was compared between those moved mid-incubation, moved within 12h to either a native sand incubation area or a renourished sand incubation area, and those left in-situ. Nests moved within 12h to the native sand had a significantly larger proportion of pipped hatchlings. Nests moved mid-incubation had a significantly lower proportion of hatched eggs as well as emergent hatchlings. The stage in which embryonic development was arrested corresponded to the stage the embryos were in during the time of movement; indicating movement was the cause of death. When comparing nests moved within the initial 2.5 weeks of development to those moved after 2.5 weeks of development, there was no significant difference in hatching success.