Overview
I am a marine biologist and conservationist whose research is focused on understanding patterns of distribution and movement of large animals using satellite tracking technology and computer-based modelling. I am interested in investigating how the relationships of marine animals with their environment and how to use spatial data to improve conservation.
After completing my MSci degree in Conservation Biology and Ecology at the University of Exeter (Penryn campus), I have worked as a researcher for the NGO MarAlliance in Cape Verde, studying the spatial ecology of a variety of shark and ray species. I am now a PhD student in Dr Witt and Dr Hawkes' lab, researching the spatial ecology of sea turtles and billfish in the Gulf of Guinea and responses of sharks to recreational angling.
I am a teaching assistant on Marine Biology (BIO2074) and the Coral Reef field course (BIO2081).
Qualifications
MSci Conservation Biology and Ecology, University of Exeter, 2018.
Career
2018 - 2020 Research Officer, MarAlliance.
Links
Research group links
Research
Research interests
I am interested in the movements of marine animals and how they use and connect ecosystems at varying spatial scales. Understanding the interactions between animals and the environment can give us insights into the workings of natural systems and be used to plan or manage conservation. In my research, I make use of state-of-the-art tracking technology and data analysis methods to bring together different sources of data and investigate spatial patterns of movement and abundance.
Publications
Key publications | Publications by category | Publications by year
Key publications
Garzon F, Williams CT, Cochran JEM, Tanabe LK, Abdulla A, Berumen ML, Habis T, Marshall PA, Rodrigue M, Hawkes LA, et al (2022). A multi-method characterization of Elasmobranch & Cheloniidae communities of the north-eastern Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba.
PLoS One,
17(9).
Abstract:
A multi-method characterization of Elasmobranch & Cheloniidae communities of the north-eastern Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba.
The Red Sea is particularly biodiverse, hosting high levels of endemism and numerous populations whose extinction risk is heightened by their relative isolation. Elasmobranchs and sea turtles have likely suffered recent declines in this region, although data on their distribution and biology are severely lacking, especially on the eastern side of the basin in Saudi Arabian waters. Here, we present sightings of elasmobranchs and sea turtles across the north-eastern Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba collected through a combination of survey methods. Over 455 survey hours, we recorded 407 sightings belonging to 26 elasmobranch species and two sea turtle species, more than 75% of which are of conservation concern. We identified 4 species of rays and 9 species of sharks not previously recorded in Saudi Arabia and report a range extension for the pink whipray (Himantura fai) and the round ribbontail ray (Taeniurops meyeni) into the Gulf of Aqaba. High density of sightings of conservation significance, including green and hawksbill sea turtles and halavi guitarfish were recorded in bay systems along the eastern Gulf of Aqaba and the Saudi Arabian coastline bordering the north-eastern Red Sea, and many carcharhinid species were encountered at offshore seamounts in the region. Our findings provide new insights into the distribution patterns of megafaunal assemblages over smaller spatial scales in the region, and facilitate future research and conservation efforts, amidst ongoing, large-scale coastal developments in the north-eastern Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba.
Abstract.
Author URL.
Garzon F, Graham RT, Baremore I, Castellanos D, Salazar H, Xiu C, Seymour Z, Witt MJ, Hawkes LA (2021). Nation-wide assessment of the distribution and population size of the data-deficient nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum).
PLoS ONE,
16(8 August).
Abstract:
Nation-wide assessment of the distribution and population size of the data-deficient nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum)
The study presents the first national assessment of a nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) population, conducted using a combination of transect surveys and baited remote underwater videos (BRUVs). Density of nurse sharks in Belize was found to be higher in reefs than in lagoons, and in the atolls furthest away from the mainland and human settlements. Only large and old protected areas were found to have a positive impact on nurse shark abundance. Absolute abundance of nurse sharks was estimated using distance sampling analysis, giving a total nurse shark population in the range of 3,858 to 14,375 sharks. Thanks to a vast area of suitable habitat for nurse sharks in the country and legislation already in place for the safeguard of the species, Belize could represent an important hotspot for nurse sharks in the Western Atlantic. The data presented here hence offers a baseline for the long-term monitoring of the Belizean nurse shark population and improves our understanding of nurse shark abundance and distribution in the wider Caribbean basin.
Abstract.
Garzon F, Graham RT, Witt MJ, Hawkes LA (2020). Ecological niche modeling reveals manta ray distribution and conservation priority areas in the Western Central Atlantic. Animal Conservation, 24(3), 322-334.
Publications by category
Journal articles
Tanabe LK, Cochran JEM, Williams CT, Garzon F, Langner U, Hardenstine RS, Hawkes LA, Brainard RE, Eweida AA, Marshall PA, et al (2023). Case report: tracking data from foraging hawksbill turtles in the northern Red Sea.
Animal Biotelemetry,
11(1).
Abstract:
Case report: tracking data from foraging hawksbill turtles in the northern Red Sea
Background: Hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) are Critically Endangered throughout their global range, and concerningly little is known about this species in the Red Sea. With large-scale coastal development projects underway in the northern Red Sea, it is critical to understand the movement and habitat use patterns of hawksbill turtles in this environmentally unique region, so that effective conservation strategies can be implemented. We satellite tagged three hawksbill turtles, one 63 cm curved carapace length adult male captured near Wahlei Island, one 55 cm turtle captured in the Gulf of Aqaba, and one 56 cm turtle suffering from a floating syndrome which was captured at Waqqadi Island, rehabilitated, and released at Waqqadi Island. Turtles were tracked for 156, 199, and 372 days between October 2020 and November 2021. Results: We calculated the home ranges and core use areas of hawksbill turtles using kernel-density estimations and found that each turtle showed high fidelity to their foraging sites. Home ranges calculated with GPS-derived locations ranged between 13.6 and 2.86 km2, whereas home ranges calculated with Argos-derived locations ranged from 38.98 to 286.45 km2. GPS-derived locations also revealed a higher proportion of time spent in coral and rock habitats compared to Argos, based on location overlap with the Allen Coral Reef Atlas. We also found that turtles were making shallow dives, usually remaining between 0 and 5 m. Conclusions: While the number of tracked turtles in this study was small, it represents an important contribution to the current understanding of spatial ecology among foraging hawksbill turtles globally, and provides the first-ever reported hawksbill turtle tracking data from the Red Sea. Our results suggest that protecting coral reef habitats and implementing boating speed limits near reefs could be effective conservation measures for foraging hawksbill turtles in the face of rapid coastal development.
Abstract.
Garzon F, Williams CT, Cochran JEM, Tanabe LK, Abdulla A, Berumen ML, Habis T, Marshall PA, Rodrigue M, Hawkes LA, et al (2022). A multi-method characterization of Elasmobranch & Cheloniidae communities of the north-eastern Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba.
PLoS One,
17(9).
Abstract:
A multi-method characterization of Elasmobranch & Cheloniidae communities of the north-eastern Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba.
The Red Sea is particularly biodiverse, hosting high levels of endemism and numerous populations whose extinction risk is heightened by their relative isolation. Elasmobranchs and sea turtles have likely suffered recent declines in this region, although data on their distribution and biology are severely lacking, especially on the eastern side of the basin in Saudi Arabian waters. Here, we present sightings of elasmobranchs and sea turtles across the north-eastern Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba collected through a combination of survey methods. Over 455 survey hours, we recorded 407 sightings belonging to 26 elasmobranch species and two sea turtle species, more than 75% of which are of conservation concern. We identified 4 species of rays and 9 species of sharks not previously recorded in Saudi Arabia and report a range extension for the pink whipray (Himantura fai) and the round ribbontail ray (Taeniurops meyeni) into the Gulf of Aqaba. High density of sightings of conservation significance, including green and hawksbill sea turtles and halavi guitarfish were recorded in bay systems along the eastern Gulf of Aqaba and the Saudi Arabian coastline bordering the north-eastern Red Sea, and many carcharhinid species were encountered at offshore seamounts in the region. Our findings provide new insights into the distribution patterns of megafaunal assemblages over smaller spatial scales in the region, and facilitate future research and conservation efforts, amidst ongoing, large-scale coastal developments in the north-eastern Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba.
Abstract.
Author URL.
Garzon F, Graham RT, Baremore I, Castellanos D, Salazar H, Xiu C, Seymour Z, Witt MJ, Hawkes LA (2021). Nation-wide assessment of the distribution and population size of the data-deficient nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum).
PLoS ONE,
16(8 August).
Abstract:
Nation-wide assessment of the distribution and population size of the data-deficient nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum)
The study presents the first national assessment of a nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) population, conducted using a combination of transect surveys and baited remote underwater videos (BRUVs). Density of nurse sharks in Belize was found to be higher in reefs than in lagoons, and in the atolls furthest away from the mainland and human settlements. Only large and old protected areas were found to have a positive impact on nurse shark abundance. Absolute abundance of nurse sharks was estimated using distance sampling analysis, giving a total nurse shark population in the range of 3,858 to 14,375 sharks. Thanks to a vast area of suitable habitat for nurse sharks in the country and legislation already in place for the safeguard of the species, Belize could represent an important hotspot for nurse sharks in the Western Atlantic. The data presented here hence offers a baseline for the long-term monitoring of the Belizean nurse shark population and improves our understanding of nurse shark abundance and distribution in the wider Caribbean basin.
Abstract.
Garzon F, Graham RT, Witt MJ, Hawkes LA (2020). Ecological niche modeling reveals manta ray distribution and conservation priority areas in the Western Central Atlantic. Animal Conservation, 24(3), 322-334.
Publications by year
2023
Tanabe LK, Cochran JEM, Williams CT, Garzon F, Langner U, Hardenstine RS, Hawkes LA, Brainard RE, Eweida AA, Marshall PA, et al (2023). Case report: tracking data from foraging hawksbill turtles in the northern Red Sea.
Animal Biotelemetry,
11(1).
Abstract:
Case report: tracking data from foraging hawksbill turtles in the northern Red Sea
Background: Hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) are Critically Endangered throughout their global range, and concerningly little is known about this species in the Red Sea. With large-scale coastal development projects underway in the northern Red Sea, it is critical to understand the movement and habitat use patterns of hawksbill turtles in this environmentally unique region, so that effective conservation strategies can be implemented. We satellite tagged three hawksbill turtles, one 63 cm curved carapace length adult male captured near Wahlei Island, one 55 cm turtle captured in the Gulf of Aqaba, and one 56 cm turtle suffering from a floating syndrome which was captured at Waqqadi Island, rehabilitated, and released at Waqqadi Island. Turtles were tracked for 156, 199, and 372 days between October 2020 and November 2021. Results: We calculated the home ranges and core use areas of hawksbill turtles using kernel-density estimations and found that each turtle showed high fidelity to their foraging sites. Home ranges calculated with GPS-derived locations ranged between 13.6 and 2.86 km2, whereas home ranges calculated with Argos-derived locations ranged from 38.98 to 286.45 km2. GPS-derived locations also revealed a higher proportion of time spent in coral and rock habitats compared to Argos, based on location overlap with the Allen Coral Reef Atlas. We also found that turtles were making shallow dives, usually remaining between 0 and 5 m. Conclusions: While the number of tracked turtles in this study was small, it represents an important contribution to the current understanding of spatial ecology among foraging hawksbill turtles globally, and provides the first-ever reported hawksbill turtle tracking data from the Red Sea. Our results suggest that protecting coral reef habitats and implementing boating speed limits near reefs could be effective conservation measures for foraging hawksbill turtles in the face of rapid coastal development.
Abstract.
2022
Garzon F, Williams CT, Cochran JEM, Tanabe LK, Abdulla A, Berumen ML, Habis T, Marshall PA, Rodrigue M, Hawkes LA, et al (2022). A multi-method characterization of Elasmobranch & Cheloniidae communities of the north-eastern Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba.
PLoS One,
17(9).
Abstract:
A multi-method characterization of Elasmobranch & Cheloniidae communities of the north-eastern Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba.
The Red Sea is particularly biodiverse, hosting high levels of endemism and numerous populations whose extinction risk is heightened by their relative isolation. Elasmobranchs and sea turtles have likely suffered recent declines in this region, although data on their distribution and biology are severely lacking, especially on the eastern side of the basin in Saudi Arabian waters. Here, we present sightings of elasmobranchs and sea turtles across the north-eastern Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba collected through a combination of survey methods. Over 455 survey hours, we recorded 407 sightings belonging to 26 elasmobranch species and two sea turtle species, more than 75% of which are of conservation concern. We identified 4 species of rays and 9 species of sharks not previously recorded in Saudi Arabia and report a range extension for the pink whipray (Himantura fai) and the round ribbontail ray (Taeniurops meyeni) into the Gulf of Aqaba. High density of sightings of conservation significance, including green and hawksbill sea turtles and halavi guitarfish were recorded in bay systems along the eastern Gulf of Aqaba and the Saudi Arabian coastline bordering the north-eastern Red Sea, and many carcharhinid species were encountered at offshore seamounts in the region. Our findings provide new insights into the distribution patterns of megafaunal assemblages over smaller spatial scales in the region, and facilitate future research and conservation efforts, amidst ongoing, large-scale coastal developments in the north-eastern Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba.
Abstract.
Author URL.
2021
Garzon F, Graham RT, Baremore I, Castellanos D, Salazar H, Xiu C, Seymour Z, Witt MJ, Hawkes LA (2021). Nation-wide assessment of the distribution and population size of the data-deficient nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum).
PLoS ONE,
16(8 August).
Abstract:
Nation-wide assessment of the distribution and population size of the data-deficient nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum)
The study presents the first national assessment of a nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) population, conducted using a combination of transect surveys and baited remote underwater videos (BRUVs). Density of nurse sharks in Belize was found to be higher in reefs than in lagoons, and in the atolls furthest away from the mainland and human settlements. Only large and old protected areas were found to have a positive impact on nurse shark abundance. Absolute abundance of nurse sharks was estimated using distance sampling analysis, giving a total nurse shark population in the range of 3,858 to 14,375 sharks. Thanks to a vast area of suitable habitat for nurse sharks in the country and legislation already in place for the safeguard of the species, Belize could represent an important hotspot for nurse sharks in the Western Atlantic. The data presented here hence offers a baseline for the long-term monitoring of the Belizean nurse shark population and improves our understanding of nurse shark abundance and distribution in the wider Caribbean basin.
Abstract.
2020
Garzon F, Graham RT, Witt MJ, Hawkes LA (2020). Ecological niche modeling reveals manta ray distribution and conservation priority areas in the Western Central Atlantic. Animal Conservation, 24(3), 322-334.
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