Everything you need to know about marine turtles

Did you know that Mon Repos Conservation Park in Bundaberg supports the largest concentration of nesting marine turtles on the eastern Australian mainland?

EcoMarines had a delightful conversation with Kathy Gatley, Ranger in charge at the park, about what a day in her life looks like, the challenges these graceful creatures are currently facing, and how Ambassadors can help protect marine life as part of their efforts towards the environment.

The work at the centre is anything but routine – the rangers never quite know what’s going to pop up on their day and what kind of adventure awaits. They often receive emergency calls about marine animal strandings along the coastline.

“Every day is pretty different. We might be here at the turtle centre or doing office work. Suddenly, we’re out in the field, doing weed removal, or down on the beach, looking at the dunes to make sure that we’ve got good nesting habitat for the upcoming season,” says Ranger Gatley.

Considered a haven for threatened species, the Mon Repos Park is the leading centre in the South Pacific Ocean region for the loggerhead turtle, supporting around 50% of its nesting population.

According to Ranger Gatley, the intensive research undertaken at the park involves documenting which and how many turtles are coming ashore, which gives an idea of the overall population seeking the perfect location on the beach.

The need to relocate their eggs to a safer spot in the dunes is also assessed. If a turtle lays its eggs close to the water, the rangers relocate them to a safer place, protecting them from the incoming tides. This means getting as many hatchlings out into the ocean as possible.

In parallel, the rangers also strive to educate their community by connecting visitors and young students to the marine environment broadly. One example is the “Cut the Glow” program to reduce artificial light’s impact on the turtles.

The program started in 2009 when a clutch of hatchlings came out of the dunes, but instead of heading to the ocean, they went straight the other way as they got disoriented by the lights coming from the houses.

“The Cut the Glow program is all about working with our schools and our community, and any visitors to the area, to remind people that turtle season is here, and what they can do to make sure they keep their lights turned off or turned down during the season,” explains the ranger.

The nesting season peaks in December, with hatchlings emerging in February, and the rangers work around the clock to keep these precious species safe. However, they still need our help as turtles face numerous threats, including natural predators, artificial light, microplastics, boat strikes, habitat loss, and climate change.

Do you want to know more about the incredible work done at the centre and your role in protecting the turtles? Click on the video below!