Does stress influence blood chemistry of nesting flatback sea turtles (Natator depressus)?

Flatback Sea Turtles, Natator depressus, forage for molluscs and other invertebrates over the continental shelf of northern Australia. At least four discrete meta-populations use separated nesting sites on mainland Australia and coastal islands. Satellite tracking suggests the meta-populations mix on the feeding grounds and are therefore exposed to similar environmental conditions. The northern populations, which are the focus of this study, nest in the winter months, June to August, or throughout the year. Few reports address the physiology of Flatback Sea Turtle blood, and none address the usefulness of blood chemistry in assessing health. Efforts to use blood chemistry to assess the health of individual sea turtles and that of the population are hampered by boundary parameters such as size, sex and fasting condition.