OceanExpert ID : 20840
Bare Sand Island Flatback, Green and Hawksbill Project
Ellengowan Drive
Casuarina NT 081
Australia
Type
NGO
Charles Darwin University
CDU
()
Activities
t’s officially the 2012 flatback nesting season and AusTurtle are doing their thing for sea turtle research on Bare Sand Island.
A large population of flatback sea turtles nest at Bare Sand Island during the winter months. During this time, researchers gather data on the nesting turtles to estimate population size, monitor abundance and to determine any threats to survival.
As well flatbacks, 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).
The Austurtle research commenced in 1996 and is supported by Charles Darwin University. The research project is run by Dr Michael Guinea