ABSTRACT Animal movement patterns over time and space underlie the design of effective protected areas (PAs). Gorgona National Natural Park (GNNP) is a PA in the Colombian Pacific for which evaluation of protections afforded to local conservation‐dependent species is needed. We address this need herein by assessing green turtle ( Chelonia mydas ) movement and residency patterns at GNNP. Satellite telemetry for 10 juvenile turtles tracked during 2009–2012 provided evidence that nine individuals exhibited residency behavior. Kernel utilization distributions suggested that the resident population's core 50% area of activity was fully contained within GNNP, while the 90% activity space was 89% contained. One turtle left the study area, migrating south. We offer these findings at a pivotal time, when plans for constructing a military complex within GNNP are underway. Our study highlights that GNNP protects critical habitats for imperiled species and underscores the need for thoughtful consideration of future developments near sensitive PAs.
Amorocho et al. (Mon,) studied this question.