Spatiotemporal patterns and causes of sea turtle strandings in Chile between 2009 and 2022

Sea turtles are widespread globally and are highly threatened due to diverse anthropogenic activities, including climate change, which drive shifts in species distributions. Chile harbors one of the southernmost aggregations of sea turtles in the world’s oceans. We analyzed 504 sea turtle strandings along the Chilean coast between 2009 and 2022 to assess spatiotemporal patterns, associated environmental variables, and possible causes driving strandings. Over 98% of strandings involved Chelonia mydas (n = 244) and Lepidochelys olivacea (n = 249), recorded mainly in northern Chile, where 4 of 5 clusters were identified. These species congregate in shallow coastal feeding areas, making them likely to encounter artisanal or coastal fisheries and, consequently, highly exposed to becoming bycatch. The number of strandings exhibited an overall increase during the study period, with a peak in 2018 and a seasonal pattern showing a higher occurrence in winter and spring. This is the first study to characterize stranded sea turtles in Chile and to assess spatiotemporal trends in southeastern Pacific waters. The areas identified with high occurrences of strandings are not within protected areas. Our study provides crucial information for conservation measures, including habitat protection, bycatch prevention, and the development of education programs for fishermen working in these areas.