New data on raccoon nest predation rates at Playa Grande

TLT researcher Keilor Cordero’s study linking urban development around Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas to a rise in sea turtle nest predation. Building numbers near the park have grown over tenfold since 1991, largely because food scraps tossed into backyards created an abundant food source for wildlife, especially northern raccoons, which made up the vast majority of animals caught raiding trash containers near the park. Researchers link that food subsidy directly to the raccoon population boom now driving nest losses. The paper’s recommendations center on better composting infrastructure, raccoon-proof waste bins, and community education, work Keilor and TLT’s field team are already exploring on the ground.

Read more (peer-reviewed paper): https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jwmg.70174