Turtle Season - Turtle Monitoring with Care For Hedland

Published on Tuesday, 29 October 2019 at 3:48:12 PM

Port Hedland has two famous areas renowned for turtle nesting in the Pilbara - Cemetary Beach and Eighty Mile Beach. Residents and visitors are urged to be mindful of nesting turtles and hatchlings on the coastline during the nesting season from November to March. The Flatback turtle is classified as a endangered species and only nest on Australian beaches. Care For Hedland established a community-based turtle monitoring program with a mission to raise awareness and spark conversation of the local threatened Flatback turtle species Natator depressus. The program utilises a non-invasive method to acquire monitoring data through conducting early morning beach patrols assessing turtles tracks and sand patterns. Locations that are identified to be laid and hatched nests are recorded using a GPD and additinal turtle and predator activity is documented. This data is sent to the Department of Biodiveristy, Conservation and Attractions and joins a state-wide database which assist scientist with building a deeper understanding of Flatback turtle populations and nesting behaviour. 

Fishing nets that are thrown away and other debris poses as a significant threat to turtle populations as well as other marine species. Please ensure you take our beaches clean and take your rubbish with you when using our beaches and waterways. All marine turtles are protected so make sure to never approach a nesting turtle or disturb their nests. Please follow the code of conduct when you come across any turtle or nest: 

CODE OF CONDUCT 

POTENTIAL DAYTIME NESTING 

Potential nesting occurrences (no guarantees) 

TURTLE SEASON TOURS 

For more details please contact Care for Hedland evening@careforhedland.org.au 

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