Strand Ephemera 2019 - Education Kit
Sea Turtle Hatchlings There are seven species of sea turtle in the world; six are found in the Great Barrier Reef. The Flatback sea turtle is particularly special because it only nests on northern Australian beaches. Some sea turtles nest on The Strand, which is a lucky sight as it is estimated that only one in a thousand sea turtle hatchlings survive to reproduce. Below are some threats facing our turtles today:
Threats
What you can do to minimise the risk
Boat strike (being struck by a boat)
Slow down when boating, especially in areas where you know there are turtles
Fishing hooks, getting tangled in fishing nets
Fish responsibly, take all of your equipment away with you
Eating rubbish, or getting ensnared in rubbish
Put your rubbish in the bin. Safely pick up any rubbish you see and put it in the bin
Eating plastic bags (they look like jellyfish!)
Use reusable bags instead of plastic bags
Getting confused and wandering onto the road
Turtles are attracted to light, so avoid having lights near turtle hatching areas
People disturbing turtle nesting grounds; this might include dogs digging up nests, people trampling the area, or people camping in the wrong spot
Talk to your friends and family about turtles and help them understand what they can do to help look after turtles
Think about what you can do to help sea turtle survival. Talk with your family and friends to see what positive changes you might make. If you see a sea turtle in trouble, you can help by ringing 1300 ANIMAL (1300 264 625)
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