Lettuce get along: effects of feeding enrichment on green sea turtle behavior and interactions

Iintroduction Green sea turtles ( Chelonia mydas ) are primarily solitary in the wild, although they may exhibit tolerance toward conspecifics within shared habitats. Adult males are particularly prone to agonistic interactions, especially when resources such as food, space, or mates are limited. In captive environments, factors including high population density, limited enclosure size, skewed sex ratios, and insufficient environmental enrichment may exacerbate aggressive behaviors, resulting in increased stress and risk of injury. Appropriate husbandry practices such as the provision of large, structurally complex habitats with numerous resting zones, multiple feeding stations, and environmental enrichment have been shown to mitigate aggression and improve welfare outcomes. Methods This case study implemented scan and all-occurrence sampling methods to document the behavior and space use of two adult male green sea turtles preceding, during, and following three feeding conditions: baseline, depth pole, or floating ice block. Results Behavioral variation was driven primarily by feeding phase and time of day rather than by enrichment condition, with turtles exhibiting anticipatory activity pre-feeding, active engagement during feeding, and increased resting post-feeding. Agonistic interactions were relatively infrequent but occurred most often after feeding compared to preceding and during feeding only for the depth pole enrichment condition. Conclusion These results contribute to the limited body of research on the effects of feeding enrichment on captive male green sea turtle interactions, and can inform aquarium management aimed at minimizing aggression and improving animal welfare.