Ranger Joman Tomasello gives a pregnant Hawksbill turtle, a critically endangered species, a helping hand after she became wedged under a large piece of driftwood on Womer Cay. Photo: Supplied.
Rangers have done their part to protect a critically endangered species of turtle after a pregnant female became wedged under a piece of driftwood on a remote island off Cape York earlier this year.
During a trip from Lockhart River to Horn island in late January, Department of the Environment, Science, Tourism and Innovation rangers were conducting surveys for crested terns and lesser crested terns on Womer Cay, about 60 kilometres east of the Northern Peninsula Area, when they discovered a female Hawksbill turtle trapped under the driftwood.
Ranger Katie Bampton said the turtle was most likely making her way up the beach to lay a clutch of eggs when she became stuck.
“Thankfully, she was spotted, and ranger Joman Tomasello carefully removed her from the log and carried her to the ocean,” Ms Bampton said.
“We assumed she had been stuck since the previous evening when she came ashore to lay, and we found her around 11am; she would’ve been stuck for hours and due to the very hot conditions, we believe she wouldn’t have survived much longer.
“When she was placed in front of the ocean, she took a little bit of time to get moving but eventually swam away.”
Hawksbill turtles are critically endangered due to the impacts of climate change, accidental capture in fishing equipment and reef habitat destruction.
Ms Bampton said the team had seen track marks on the sand at Womer Cay and were hopeful the rescued turtle would have had another attempt to lay her eggs.
“[W]e’re hoping she returned to Womer Cay that evening to come ashore and lay a clutch of eggs,” she said.
“While we were on Womer Cay, we saw track marks on the beach where turtles had come ashore to lay, and we saw pits in the sand where clutches had hatched.”
Female Hawksbill turtles nest about four times each season and lay around 140 eggs.
The female Hawksbill turtle makes her way back into the water after being rescued by rangers on Womer Cay, about 60 kilometres east of the Northern Peninsula Area. Photo: Supplied.
