World Turtle Day - Thursday 23 May 2024

World Turtle Day will be celebrated throughout the world this week on Thursday 23 May 2024. This is an annual worldwide event celebrated every year on the 23 May. World Turtle Day was set up as a reminder to reduce the damage to the marine environment and to be mindful when near turtles, either swimming or on boats or watercrafts.

Here on Norfolk Island, we are truly fortunate to have turtles around our coastal bays and lagoon. It is always fun to stand on a cliff top looking for turtles in the water below, and Captain Cook Reserve viewing area is a wonderful place to see turtles when they surface in the crystal-clear water around the coastal Islets. The most common turtle seen around Norfolk Island coastal areas is the green turtle.

I have learnt about the local Norfolk Island turtles from members of the Norfolk Island Flora and Fauna Society. Thank you, Margaret Christian, and Mark Hallam for sharing your knowledge. Also, the wealth of knowledge that Kellie Pendoley has shared, helping me learn about green turtles that live in the lagoons at Kingston. Early 2024, Kellie Pendoley, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Sea Turtle Society at the 42nd Sea Turtle Symposium in Pattaya, Thailand. Kellie is an inspiration with her conservation work with Turtles and protecting our Dark Skies and has supported and encouraged myself and others to protect our Norfolk Island Magical Dark Skies

When snorkelling around the Kingston lagoons coral reefs it is always exciting to see turtles, the first turtle I saw swimming was so graceful and looked like a bird flying. Sometimes I find turtles sleeping or resting on the sandy floor at the base of the coral reefs. A few years ago, in 2015, I enjoy watching a lovely old large turtle with three flippers, and I named this turtle “Tripod the Old Dude”. I have photographed and videoed turtles in Emily Bay and in 2018 I enjoyed a regular sighting of a friendly turtle, but many of the turtles I see scatter away when they are disturbed by swimmers.

In 2022, a sick green turtle, who was named Doris, was found in Emily Bay, unwell and underweight. With the support of Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre specialist staff, Norfolk Island National Parks staff, Norfolk Island Marine Parks Officer, Australia Marine Department and many local helpers and volunteers how supported Doris, with changing her water, feeding her, cleaning her infected skin and shell, and keeping a close eye on this special turtle. As her health improved and she put weight back-on Doris was returned to the ocean where she swam back to Emily Bay. From time-to-time Doris has been spotted with her id tags. Thank you, all the people who have cared for Doris the Turtle, Hannah Taylor and your staff, Norfolk Island National Parks Staff, helpers, the dedicated volunteers, and the many others offshore supporters and advisers.

Our rubbish should not be part of the marine food chain, which is why it is important to recycle, dispose of rubbish responsibly and reduce the use of plastic products. Turtles are impacted by plastics and rubbish in the water, along with fishing lines and nets and other pollutants chemicals, oil spoils, sewage, the list is long. Turtles eat jelly fish, so they easily mistake plastic as food and rescue teams across the world attempt to assist turtles which are sick from eating plastic products.

Climate change is also impacting the life cycle of turtles, with water level rising, breeding grounds effected, and I have also read that during warmer temperatures, many eggs hatch as females and male turtle numbers are decreasing. I have learnt that turtles do not lay eggs on Norfolk Island, as we are a sub-tropical climate. The turtles appear to spend their teenage years in the waters around Norfolk Island. Turtles were recorded at Emily Bay, by the First Fleeters when they first arrived on Norfolk Island in 1788, and Emily Bay was first named Turtle Bay.

I have read that World Turtle Day was started 24 years ago in 2000 by American Tortoise Rescue, (ATR), a non-profit animal rescue organization, to educate people about how to protect turtle and tortoise habitats.

World Turtle Day 2024 - Awareness Days Events Calendar 2024

The purpose of World Turtle Day is to educate people about the things that they can do to protect the habitats of turtle and tortoises. It is also a celebration of the joy that these reptiles bring to so many people on a daily basis.

The day is celebrated in a number of ways all over the world. There are many people that dress as turtles while others may just decide to wear something green. People also get actively involved in projects that help rescue turtles that may be living in their local area.

There are also a number of resources that are made available to schools that teachers can use to create lessons around World Turtle Day. This is an important step in raising awareness in the future generation of the threats that turtles and tortoises face. It is also something that children enjoy getting involved in.

American Tortoise Rescue (ATR) was founded in 1990 by husband-and-wife team Susan Tellem and Marshall Thompson. It is a non-profit organisation that rescues and rehabilitates all species of tortoise and turtle. It also does a lot of work on protecting the environments in which these animals live. They will always try and find new homes for the animals but if this is not possible then they will remain in the care of the ATR.

I feel very privileged to see turtles and watch them in their Norfolk Island underwater world. During the past summer there have been a few different green turtles sighted in the lagoon at Kingston and a few have been named, there is Doris, she has an id tag, Honu has a distinctive algae spot on the shell and another lovely turtle was recently named Tola. In March 2024, I felt privileged to capture two turtles in one photograph. During the summer 2024 Susan Prior also spotted a young Hawksbill Turtle in the Kingston lagoon. Susan also shares many lovely images of turtles on Facebook, NORFOLK ISLAND TIME.

In 2018 I started a Norfolk Island Turtle Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/Norfolk-Island-Turtles-2030986883818607 which now has about 843 followers and I share turtle images to the page.

Here are a few images of green turtles in Emily Bay and the Kingston lagoon.

Betty Matthews

18 May 2024