3 months, 2 weeks ago

More data needed to save vulnerable turtles from ghost crabs, say scientists

A new study of sea turtles on a remote island off Australia's north-west coast has cast light on their treacherous journey from egg to ocean. "Thirty per cent of those that emerged were predated, predominantly by ghost crabs, but also by native silver gulls and Caspian terns," Dr Avenant said. "It's really important for us to understand how many hatchlings we've got that reached the water safely, and if that nesting site is producing enough hatchlings to maintain the population," Dr Fossette said. In a paper published late last year, Dr Avenant revealed two Ningaloo rookeries had been wiped out by ghost crabs to an "extreme" level. While the impact of predators on Thevenard's flatback turtles was "a bit lower", Dr Avenant said more data was critical for drawing comparisons between the two species and guiding conservation efforts.

ABC
Conservation Richardson Ghost Supplied Crabs Turtles Turtle Dbca Mr Richardson Ningaloo Ghost Crabs Flatback Flatback Turtles Gnaraloo Bay Dr Avenant Data Gnaraloo Casper Avenant Avenant Turtle Rookeries
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