Removing raccoons to protect sea turtle nests: are there implications for ecosystem management?

Raccoons (Procyon lotor) are native predators on barrier beaches in the sou theastern United States, and predation by raccoons on eggs and hatchlings o f federally protected sea turtles can significantly decrease hatchling prod uctivity. Managers of many sea turtle nesting beaches reduce raccoon popula tions to minimize nest depredation. However, it is unknown whether removal of raccoons may have additional ecological consequences in these habitats. In coastal ecosystems, raccoons may serve important ecological roles (e.g., seed dispersal, predation on invertebrates and vertebrates), without which unanticipated alterations in community diversity may occur. Protection of sea turtle nests is an integral component of sea turtle recovery plans, and we do not advocate less vigilance in these efforts. We recommend that reso urce managers concerned with preservation of sea turtles evaluate the ecolo gical functions of raccoons in their ecosystems and the potential effects o f raccoon removal on other components of the biological community.