Karakteristik Habitat Peneluran Penyu Lekang (Lepidochelys olivacea, Hirth 1971) di Taman Wisata Alam Air Hitam, Bengkulu

Abstract

Olive ridley features the most common sea turtle species in TWA Air Hitam, which listed as endangered species under IUCN redlist. The objectives of this research were to describe characteristics of shore environment and to define significant environmental variables affecting olive ridley in choosing its nesting habitat. Observation and in situ measurement was conducted in July 2013 and February 2014 at 16 sites, applying systematics sampling approach. Measured habitat variables were number of nest, shore elevation, vegetation, fraction of sandy substrate, shore width and length which then analyzed using Principal component Analysis (PCA). This study revealed that the prominent features of shore environment in TWA Air Hitam were sandy shore with low elevation (0,970-4,230) and width of 32,65-86,70 m, very fine sand fractions (54,88%), also stands of coast she-oak (Casuarina equisetifolia) with significant index of 179,68. Results from PCA indicated that, away 16 environmental variables depicting the shores of TWA Air Hitam, medium fraction sands (grain size of 0,25-0,5 mm) and the existence of shore vegetation were significant habitat variables preferred by olive ridley in detecting nesting site.