Two endangered species of sea turtle are using diversionary tactics to protect their nests, according to research led by the University of Glasgow.
When female sea turtles cover their nest chambers in which they have laid their eggs, they spend considerable time and effort on scattering sand around the next site. Yet extending their time on the beach in this way exposes them to risks such as predation and exhaustion.
It has been presumed that this activity was a means of camouflaging the nest site from egg predators but its probable true function has not been identified – until now.
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Image via University of Glasgow
