Monday, June 1, 2009

Western Cape York Sea Turtle Nesting Season


Photo: Brett Leis


The remote beaches of western Cape York are again being marked by the characteristic tracks of sea turtles as they drag their heavy bodies out of the sea.  July is an exciting time as it heralds the start of the turtle nesting season on western Cape York. Flatback and olive ridley turtles begin nesting in numbers and will do so until October. This area is unique for sea turtle nesting – across the world sea turtles normally nest in the summer months, but on western Cape York they nest during the winter months! 
Unfortunately, along with the sea turtles tracks are the thousands of feral pig tracks which traverse the beaches in search of a meal of eggs or hatchlings.