New East Coast Turtle Project Builds on Western Cape Success

An award-winning turtle protection program from western Cape York is being replicated on the Peninsula’s east coast to improve hatchling survival rates of endangered marine turtles.

Far North Queensland’s east coast is home to some of the world’s highest-density nesting populations of the endangered green turtle and the critically endangered hawksbill turtle.

However, feral pigs—widespread across Cape York Peninsula—pose a major threat by preying on eggs and hatchlings in nests.

Coordinated by Cape York NRM, and in collaboration with Indigenous ranger groups and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, the Eastern Cape York Turtle Conservation Project will increase the nesting success of turtles through targeted predator control and nest protection measures.

The new program is based on the approach developed by the Western Cape Turtle Threat Abatement Alliance (WCTTAA), which has significantly increased hatchling survival rates along 800 km of coastline.

WCTTAA is a partnership of Indigenous land and sea owners and managers from Apudthama Land Trust and the Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council, Napranum Aboriginal Shire Council, Mapoon, Pormpuraaw, Aak Puul Ngantam, and Kowanyama.

WCTTAA proudly claimed the inaugural ‘First Nations Award for Excellence in Biosecurity’ at the 2024 Australian Biosecurity Awards for its outstanding contribution to Australian biosecurity and exceptional commitment to improving the protection of Country and people from pests, weeds and diseases.

Project Coordinator Dr Manuela Fischer said WCTTAA rangers will work with eastern Cape York Indigenous ranger groups to share expertise in turtle monitoring and data collection.

“Establishing and maintaining consistent monitoring programs is vital for marine turtle conservation,” she said. “In the long term, this will help ranger groups apply conservation strategies in areas where nest protection and pig control are most needed.”

The project directly addresses climate-related threats to turtle survival, including concerns about turtles currently nesting on offshore islands.

“It’s predicted that these island nesting sites may become permanently inundated in the future,” said Dr Fischer. “By reducing feral pig numbers on the mainland, it could make more elevated beaches on the east coast a viable alternative for these globally important populations.”

Mike Gregory, Project Coordinator for the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation’s Nest to Ocean Turtle Protection Program, said WCTTAA has made a significant contribution to the Nest to Ocean project over the past decade, reducing the threat of turtle egg predation by feral pigs from almost 100 per cent of eggs predated to less than 10 per cent through control initiatives.

“Replicating this initiative on the eastern side of Cape York Peninsula will make a significant contribution to the conservation of marine turtles in Australia,” he said.

Find out more about the Eastern Cape York Turtle Conservation Project on Cape York NRM’s website: https://www.capeyorknrm.com.au/

This project is supported by Cape York NRM through funding from the Australian and Queensland Governments’ Nest to Ocean Turtle Protection Program.

For media enquiries, please contact Steve Titman on 0475 265 063 or email steve.titman@capeyorknrm.com.au.

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