Mackay & District Turtle Watch Association © All rights reserved Privacy Policy | Terms of Use

HOTLINE

1300 130 372

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

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.

There are seven different types of marine turtles ..

GREEN TURTLE

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 TURTLE

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.

LOGGERHEAD TURTLE

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- reference 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'.

OLIVE RIDLEY TURTLE

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.

LEATHERBACK TURTLE

The leatherback is the largest living species of turtle and 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.

The seventh species of marine turtle is the Kemps Ridley, Lepidochelys kempi- reference link: 'Kemp's Ridley Turtle'