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Bare Sand Island Sea Turtle Research Project AusTurtle is a major supporter of sea turtle research at Bare Sand Island, Northern Territory.
Public awareness and education regarding sea turtles has been conducted since 1996 during the Bare Sand Island field research. This has been mainly in the form of informal discussions with visitors to the island and distribution of educative material. Many local fishermen camp on Bare Sand Island on weekends, with up to 20 groups of people visiting the island on long weekends. With some support from AusTurtle, a masters student is currently undertaking a project at Bare Sand Island on tourism and the nesting turtles.
A more formal education program has recently been conducted for passengers from a cruise ship running between Broome and Darwin. A scientist from AusTurtle gives a lecture on sea turtle natural history, conservation and threats and then passengers go ashore at Bare Sand Island to view the research and possibly view turtle nesting. |
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A large population of
flatback sea turtles nest at Bare Sand Island during
the winter months. During this time, researchers and
volunteers gather data on the nesting turtles to
estimate population size, monitor abundance over time
and to determine any threats to survival. This
research has been running since 1996 and has
identified an important nesting population of flatback
sea turtles. Funding for the research has always been
very restricted creating limitations to data
collection and the length of the field season. With
increasing support from AusTurtle over the next 5
years, it is hoped that research will be able to be
expanded to include electronic tagging of nesting
turtles, satellite tracking of nesting turtles and
undertaking extensive temperature studies on the nests
in situ. With this additional support it will create
an ideal work environment for student projects,
further enhancing our knowledge of the species and the
research undertaken.
The
waters around Bare Sand Island support significant
numbers of foraging green and hawksbill turtles. Both
species are vulnerable to extinction under Australian
classification (EPBC Act 1999). Green turtles are
internationally classified as endangered and hawksbill
turtles are critically endangered internationally
(IUCN Red List). Annually researchers monitor green
and hawksbill turtle populations by capture of turtles
while they are feeding on the reef. This research will
provide population estimates, relative species
abundance and identify threats.
