The daily presence of spinner dolphins,Stenella longirostris, inside a small reef offshore the Red Sea coast of southern Egypt was monitored from January 2004 to January 2006. Observations indicated marked seasonal and daily variations in the use of the reef as a resting and socializing area by the dolphins, consistent during the two years of monitoring. Overall, the mean number of dolphins present in the reef at any day was 39.2 (SD = 39.34, range 0–210), with the lowest presence in February to April and the highest in June. Similar to other populations of this species in other oceans, dolphins entered the reef between daybreak and mid-morning, and started exiting during the afternoon hours. Although calves were seen in all seasons, a sharp peak was observed in June. Monitoring data provided indications relevant to governmental management efforts, which were implemented in 2004 to ensure that the dolphins could continue using the reef for their resting needs while a sustainable, respectful tourist activity is allowed in a designated zone of the reef adjacent to the dolphins' core habitat.
Nesting of two species; the hawksbill Eretmochelys imbricate and the green turtle Chelonia mydas on the Egyptian beaches of the Red Sea were studied. The nesting seasons were extended from May to July with a peak in June for the hawksbill and from June to August with a peak in July for the green turtle. Separate nesting grounds for both species with minimum overlap were observed. In total, 38 beaches were surveyed and classified according to the density of nests and tracks. Out of the 38 surveyed beaches, 8 totally offshore beaches were classified as valuable nesting grounds for the hawksbill and 14 beaches for green turtles (inshore and offshore sites). The quantitative estimation of nesting level (i.e. density of nests and tracks) indicated that there are 3 most valuable nesting offshore beaches for the hawksbill and 8 sites for the green turtle (3 inshore and 5 offshore). During 2001-2008, the nesting activities were estimated quantitatively based on the density of true and false nests as well as the dimensions of tracks, nests and female turtle at the most valuable nesting sites (Small and Big Giftun Islands for hawksbill, Zabarged Island, Ras Bagdadi and Umm El-Abas, for green turtles). Hatching percentages, clutch sizes as well as egg and hatchling sizes for both species were estimated.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.