Broome,  Western Australia - Marine Turtles

 

 

Turtles are listed as threatened under the Australian EPBC Act, with loggerhead and olive ridleys listed as Endangered; while green, hawksbill, leatherback and flatbacks are listed as Vulnerable. Under world listings such as the IUCN Red Book list, leatherbacks (estimate of less than 15,000) and hawksbills (estimate of less than 7,000) are Critically Endangered; while green, olive ridley and loggerhead are Endangered with flatbacks listed as Data Deficient.

Turtles are slow to mature and have low hatchling survival rates. Scientists believe that that one in a thousand hatchlings will reach adult maturity. Consider this in relation to the hawksbill which takes 27 years to reach sexual maturity, or the green which can take up to 45 years. This life history means that turtles are particularly vulnerable to human impacts. As migratory species, impacts at a local level have the capacity to affect the species’ population across its entire range. Australian flatbacks are only known to nest on Australian beaches and only the females ever come ashore.

Threats facing Australian flatbacks include:

  • Natural predators such as some lizards, birds, crabs, fish and when juveniles reach adulthood – sharks.
  • Man-made impacts include the introduction of feral animals, loss of habitat due to development, boat strikes, fishing bycatch, illegal fishing practices, poor water quality leading to disease, unsustainable harvest, illegal poaching and marine debris.
  • Impact of global warming and climate change are having an effect as sea turtles lack sex chromosomes, therefore the sand temperature determines whether the sex of each egg is male or female. Climate change also leads to decreased hatch success and a loss of beach/nesting habitat.

Shell EcoVolunteers will work to protect critical nesting habitats for the Australian flatback see turtle whilst collecting valuable scientific data on the nesting extent of this species.

In Broome and the northeast WA region, volunteers will protect and monitor prime nesting habitats for the Australia flatback to determine its appropriate status listing in both Australia and on the world scene.

 

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