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Australia seeks to stop decline in marine turtles
30th July 2003
Planet Ark
CANBERRA - Australia unveiled plans yesterday to boost protection of its marine turtles following a dramatic decline in breeding.
Environment Minister David Kemp said a national recovery plan would establish a monitoring program to allow better management of stranded turtles and to identify causes of mortality such as disease and damage from being struck by boats.
The number of loggerhead turtles nesting on Australia's tropical northern shores in Queensland state had declined from 3,500 in 1976 to 300 in 1997.
"These ancient creatures have lived in the ocean for more than 100 million years. They are part of our unique natural heritage, with six of the world's seven species living in Australian waters," Kemp said in a statement.
The turtles can take up to 40 years to reach maturity and reproduce, but their survival is being threatened by human pollution and changes to their habitats.
"The national recovery plan is designed to reverse that decline as a matter of urgency and ensure we restore turtle populations over the next few decades," he said.
REUTERS/ PLANET ARK NEWS SERVICE
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