Green turtle eggs are being moved between islands to ensure more males are born as warming nest sands threaten the endangered species.
Some 3000 eggs between Raine Island and Sir Charles Hardy Islands in Wuthathi National Park (Great Barrier Reef) last summer.
The Qld Environment Department (QED) says the relocation is part of trials to see if large numbers of turtle eggs could be successfully moved.
WATCH HERE: Click here to watch video of the relocation trial.
Dr Fiona Fraser, who is the federal Threatened Species Commissioner, says: “Warming temperatures mean that without intervention species like the green turtle, one of 110 priority species under the Threatened Species Action Plan, are at heightened risk of extinction.
“The success of this trial means more nests will be relocated this year, giving green turtles in the northern Great Barrier Reef a better chance at long term survival.”
Raine Island Recovery Project Manager Katharine Robertson says every egg moved is a step toward saving green turtles on Raine Island.
“The relocation work, led by traditional rangers and our field teams, shows what’s possible when science and culture come together.
“While the hatchlings were still mostly female this season, the strong hatching success gives us confidence to trial new methods to cool nests next summer. This project is about innovation, persistence and giving these turtles the best possible chance.”
‘CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT’
Wuthathi Elder, Johnson Chippendale says that “Raine Island (Thukuruu) is highly significant culturally” to his people.
“We are proud to be partners in the project, involved in on-ground works including the egg relocation works, aimed at increasing the number of green turtles’ (and) combating climate change with traditional and scientific knowledge combined.”
Jimmy Gela is chairman of Erub, a part of the Meriam Nation.
“The green turtle holds deep cultural significance for the Meriam Nation of the communities of Ugar, Mer, Erub and Masig,” he says.
“We are proud to be part of this important work to protect their future. We look forward to continuing our efforts to safeguard this vital species for future generations.”
Dr Mark Read is Field Management Strategy Director for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA).
“Raine Island is the most important green turtle rookery in the world, and what happens here matters for the species across the entire Great Barrier Reef and beyond,” he explains.
“Green turtles face enormous pressures from climate change, and projects like this are critical in giving them a fighting chance.”
THREATS TO TURTLES
While Raine Island is the world’s largest green turtle rookery, its nesting beach can be inundated during high tides, drowning eggs when nests are submerged for long periods, the QED says.
Beach reprofiling on the island has proven very successful in addressing this tidal threat but other threats remain due to projected sea level rises.
The sand on Raine Island has also warmed too much to allow male hatchlings to develop.
The sex of hatchlings is determined by nest temperature, leading to a shortage of juvenile males in the northern Great Barrier Reef.
A 70% hatching rate at the Sir Charles Hardy Islands shows relocation is a viable method and sets the stage for new cooling techniques to produce more males, the QED says.
A second egg relocation trip just transferred 50 clutches of eggs with shade structures installed over the new nests to cool the sand and thereby boost male hatchling numbers.
Learn more about the Raine Island Recovery Project: www.parks.qld.gov.au/raineisland
BEHAVIOUR TIPS
With nesting season now under way across the Reef, visitors are reminded to act responsibly around the animals. These involve:
- Stay at least two metres away from nesting turtles.
- Keep still and quiet.
- Minimise light.
- Never shine torches or take flash photos when they are coming ashore or returning to the sea.
- Always keep beaches clear of obstacles.
- Watch where you step to avoid disturbing nests or hatchlings.
Source: Qld Environment Department.
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