Posted on August, 29 2001

Darwin, Australia - WWF staff, traditional land-owners and a researcher who in late July 2001 spent a week assessing turtle populations around Groote Eylandt in Australia's Northern Territory reported finding eight Olive Ridley turtle nests at "Amirraba" beach.

This was the first ever recorded sighting of Olive Ridley's on Groote Eylandt by researchers. The English Company Islands are the only previously known nesting site in Australia. The Olive Ridley Turtle - Lepidochelys olivacea - is classified as endangered by the World Conservation Union (IUCN).

During the survey Marc Wohling, (WWF Community-Based Conservation Project Manager), Dr Mark Hamman (Northern Territory University) and Charlie Jaragba and Alawa Barra, both traditional land-owners from Groote Eylandt, travelled 10km by boat to the North East Isles. The North East Isles consist of three small islands and are regarded as one of the top three most important nesting sites in the world for hawksbill turtle - Eretmochelys imbricata . Sixteen hawksbills were tagged and genetic samples taken, before bad weather forced the team to go back to Groote Eylandt.

A further eight beaches were surveyed during the trip around Groote Eylandt and counting of turtle tracks on the beaches and nests undertaken. This resulted in sighting of nesting green turtles - Chelonia mydas . Being early in the green turtle nesting season, another trip is planned in October for further surveys and the deployment of satellite transmitters when the season is at its peak and high densities of nesting are expected.

For further information contact:

Donna Luckman, Programme & Communications Officer WWF Tropical Wetlands of Oceania Programme. GPO Box 1268, Darwin NT 0801 Tel. +61 (0)8 8941 7554 Fax. +61 (0)8 8941 6494

email. dluckman@wwf.org.au

website: www.wwf.org.au