7 NEWS (Sydney, Australia) 20 December 13 Flatback turtle trackers want Qld station
Flatback turtle trackers want to set up Australia's first permanent research station to assess how they are affected by large coastal developments.
The pale olive green-grey turtles are one of only seven sea turtle species in the world, and only nest in northern Australia.
While they are listed as vulnerable in Queensland, Western Australia and nationally, there is not enough data for an international listing.
Environmental organisation Wild Mob and The Queensland Trust for Nature are three years into a study of populations off the Queensland coast.
The research will help determine if developments, such as a large-scale dredging project for the gas export industry at Curtis Island off Gladstone, is affecting turtle numbers.
The turtles that nest on Avoid Island, which sits offshore between Gladstone and Mackay, are considered a control population because the refuge is far enough away from port developments to the north and south not to be affected.
Researchers will then be able to compare the health of populations closer to major development sites, with what's happening on Avoid Island.
About 30 per cent of the flatback turtles that lay their eggs on Australia's east coast do so on Avoid Island, which was bought by the trust in 2006.
The trust hopes to start a university program on the island during nesting seasons and raise enough funds to establish a permanent research station.
At present, there are no dedicated research stations to provide ongoing studies into Australia's only endemic sea turtle.
World renowned turtle tracker Dr Nancy Fitzsimmons led a half a dozen volunteers monitoring the December nesting season on Avoid Island.
Like previous years, more than 70 turtles laid eggs and, by February, it is hoped up to 7000 turtles will hatch.
Dr Fitzsimmons says it's too early to tell if port developments are having an impact.
"If we don't do these sorts of studies, we have no idea what's happening with the population," Dr Fitzsimmons says.
"There's a lot of international interest in the flatback turtles in Australia, and people come to Australia specifically to see these turtles because they aren't found anywhere else."
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