1. Ingestion of Marine debris 2. Entanglement in discarded �shing apparatus 3.Crocodile attack 4. Boat Strike

IntroductionAll six species of marine turtles living in the Great Barrier Reef region are listed as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered both in Queensland and Australian federal legislation. Threats that can result in injury or death from entanglement in discarded �shing nets, ingestion of marine debris, and accidental capture and drowning during commercial �shing activities are believed to be amongst the major causes of decline in marine turtle populations worldwide.

Ingestion of anthropogenic debris by marine turtles may cause a blockage in the gut causing the turtle to �oat due to a build up of gas in the gastrointestinal tract. This is termed ‘�oaters disease’. Many of these animals perish at sea, as they are unable to dive to feed and become easy prey for larger animals.

Derelict �shing gear and discarded nets are a serious threat contributing to accidental entanglement and/or capture of marine turtles. Injuries may be life threatening, and include limb amputation and subsequent infection, reduction in mobility and ability to �ee from predators, prolonged periods of �oating when entangled in nets and damage from boat strike.

Turtles brought into the Cairns turtle rehabilitation centre are su�ering from threats such as ‘�oaters disease’, ingestion of discarded foreign objects, injuries from discarded �shing apparatus, boat strike and crocodile attacks.

MethodsInitial veterinary evaluation, blood tests and x-rays are undertaken at Marlin Coast Veterinary Clinic.

Turtles are then transferred to CTRC, a facility designed for the treatment of ill and injured turtles. The turtles are kept in this facility until they are healthy enough to be released. The recovery of these turtles can take up to 24 months, with a typical recovery time of 6 months.

After recovery a Sirtrack ® satellite tracker is attached to the shell and the turtles are released in the region they were found to determine the success of the rehabilitation.

Data is recorded by the Argos satellite system during its polar orbit and is transmitted when the turtles surfaces to breathe.

The raw published data is processed then plotted against high resolution maps in ESRI ArcGIS.

To date, 4 turtles rehabilitated from entaglement and 6 turtles rehabilited from �oaters have been released and tracked.

Rehabilitation: Not just for the rich and famousJennie Gilbert, Andrew Gray–Spence, Robin J. Beaman

School of Earth and Environmental Science, James Cook University, Cairns

Common threats to marine turtles

Satellite tracking maps

©Troy Mayne

©Troy Mayne ©Peter Harper

©Peter Harper

©Louise Dixon ©Brad Newton

AcknowledgementsDr Miriam GoosemDr Rod GilbertDr Robert TurnerPeter Harper Angela ChristieQantas-LinkSunlover ToursFitzroy IslandLizard IslandGreat Adventures Carpentaria Ghost Net Program

ResultsAll eight turtles released with satellite trackers have survived for long periods of time, demonstrating successful rehabilitation and release. Before this study, little data were available regarding movements and feeding grounds of turtles afer release following extended periods in rehabilitation. Using satellite tracking systems this gap in knowledge is currently being elucidated.

See Table 1.

ConclusionsThe knowledge gained in this project about the post-rehabilitation survival, movements and feeding grounds of the released turtles is vital to establishing the usefulness of rehabilitation in species protection. These vulnerable and endangered turtles are faced with threats daily within their environment. Rehabilitating these turtles assists them in surviving in perpetuity and maintains ecosystem balance. Rehabilitation has demonstrated to be a useful tool in saving many turtles that may have perished.

Satellite tracking has proven that rehabilitated turtlescan survive despite their injuries.

Turtle Time in rehabilitation Tracking timePrincess 6 months 4 months 18 daysJewell 6 months 4 months 12 daysMatilda 20 months 10 months 12 daysQantas 7 months 5 months 7 days Sammy 5 months 7 monthsNellie 3 months 4 monthsBanjo 4 months 2 months 18 daysChopper 10 months 4 months 20 daysClancy 4 months 2 months 17 daysPrisilla 6 months 1 month 14 days

Table 1

Poster for 31st Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation, San Diego, 2011

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Map 1: Regional map Map 3: Sammy

Map 2: Qantas Map 4: Banjo

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Legend

0 75 150 225 30037.5Km

Distance (kilometres)

Depths

Map 2: Qantas

Map 3: Sammy

Map 4: Banjo

Qantas was found entangled in a discarded ghost net at Pennefather beach in January 2010. She sustained severe deep injuries to both front �ippers with one �ipper nearly amputated by the nets. She was �own to Cairns and her injuries were initally treated at Marlin Coast Vet Clinic. After seven months of rehabilitation at Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre, she was returned to Cape York and released at Pennefather beach. After release Qantas stayed in the waters close to Pennefather beach, swimming up the rivers at times. She had started to move in a North East direction when the tracker stopped sending information.

Banjo was found on the 2nd September 2010 �oating at the mouth of Ross Creek, Townsville. Banjo was taken to a vet and emphysema was diagnosed. He was then transported to Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre on the 3rd September 2010 from Reef HQTownsville. Banjo was treated by vets at Marlin Coast Vet Clinic and cared for at Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre. When he recovered from the emphysema fully he was released on the 9th January, 2011 at Moore Reef, situated on the Great Barrier Reef. Banjo is presently heading south towards Townsville where he was found.

Sammy was found distressed and �oating at Lizard Island in January 2010. Sammy was struggling to dive, su�ering ‘�oaters disease’. Sammy was �own to Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre. Oxytetracycline antibiotics were administered as there were several deep cuts on her plastron and front �ipper. She was cared for at CTRC for 5 months until she had recovered su�ciently to be released back into the waters of Lizard Island. Sammy stayed around the waters of Lizard Island when tracked. The sta� from Lizard Island rang the �rst week in February 2011to say that Sammy was still around but her tracker had detached.

This regional map shows turtles released with satellite trackers after extended periods in rehabilitation.

East coast, Far North Queensland and West Coast Cape York Penisula, Australia