Qld rangers rescue pregnant hawksbill from dead tree on remote cay

The turtle is returned to the sea under the watchful gaze of rangers. Photos, video: Qld Environment Department

A pregnant critically endangered Hawksbill turtle trapped under a dead tree (driftwood) on remote Womer Cay was returned to the ocean by rangers in the far northern Great Barrier Reef.

Qld rangers had been on visit to Queensland’s most northern parks that took them from Lockhart River to Horn Island.

As the team surveyed crested terns and lesser crested terns on the cay, the critically endangered turtle was found wedged under large driftwood.

Ranger Katie Bampton said the turtle had most likely made her way up the beach to lay eggs and became stuck.

“Thankfully, she was spotted. Ranger Joman Tomasello carefully removed her from the log and carried her to the ocean,” Bampton says.

“We assumed she had been stuck since the previous evening when she came ashore to lay and we found her around 11am.”

Bampton says conditions were very hot and believes she wouldn’t have survived much longer.

“When she was placed in front of the ocean, she took a little bit of time to get moving but eventually swam away,” she says.

“The water would’ve felt so good. We’re hoping she returned to Womer Cay that evening to come ashore and lay a clutch of eggs.”

She says the team also spotted turtle track marks on the cay’s beach and pits in the sand where clutches had hatched.

“Hawksbill turtles are critically endangered due to the impacts of climate change, accidental capture in fishing equipment and reef habitat destruction,” Bampton says.

“The rangers who were on that trip are thrilled that we were able to rescue her and send her on her way.

“These small cays in the Torres Strait and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park are remote but they are extremely important for bird life and turtles.”