There are seven species of marine turtles in the world and six of these occur in Australian waters- reference link: 'Marine Turtles in the Great Barrier Reef Work Heritage Area'.
FLATBACK TURTLE
GREEN TURTLE
HAWKSBILL TURTLE
LOGGERHEAD TURTLE
OLIVE RIDLEY TURTLE
LEATHERBACK TURTLE
The seventh species of marine turtle is the Kemps Ridley, Lepidochelys kempi- reference link: 'Kemp's Ridley Turtle'.
The Flatback turtle has a low profile, olive-grey shell with distinctive upturned edges. The average shell length is 92cm and the adults average 82kg in weight.
The major species nesting in the Mackay district is the flatback turtle, Natator depressus- reference link: 'Flatback Turtles'. This turtle is endemic to Australia and doesn't occur anywhere else in the world.
Green turtles are principally herbivorous, eating seagrass and seaweed. Their heads are small in relation to their bodies and their shell is relatively high domed.
Green turtles, Chelonia mydas- reference link: 'Green Turtle', also occasionally nest in the Mackay area and are often seen feeding or mating in the waters around our region.
Hawksbill turtles have a brown-black shell, with overlapping scales. It is a smaller turtle than the green turtle and has a distinctive beak shaped mouth.
Hawksbill turtles, Eretomochelys imbricata- reference link: 'Hawksbill Turtle', may also often be seen in the waters around Mackay.
The loggerhead has a large head in relation to most other turtles. Adults can weigh between 70 to 200kg, and have a shell length between 81 to 125cm
Loggerhead turtles, Caretta caretta- referrence link: 'Loggerhead Turtle', nest on off shore islands, east of Mackay. The largest mainland loggerhead rookery is situated at Mon Repos, near Bundaberg in Queensland- reference link: 'Mon Repos Turtle Rookery'.
The olive ridley is the smallest of the sea turtles. Its shell is almost round, olive-grey in colour and domed from the front.
Olive Ridley, Lepidochelys olivacea- reference link: 'Olive Ridley Turtle', and Leatherback turtles, Dermochelys coriacea- reference link: 'Leatherback Turtle', are rarely seen in this region.
The leatherback is the largest living species of turtle, it can weigh more than 500kg. It has a soft leathery shell with distinctive longitudinal ridges.
Leatherback turtles, Dermochelys coriacea- reference link: 'Leatherback Turtle', are rarely seen in this region.
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