Turtles are the most elusive of our marine animals here at Bribie Island. They come up to breath and then they shoot away so fast if they have spotted you and they do not come up for air for possibly another 20 minutes or so and they could have swum far away from you in that time. We have 2 types we regularly spot – the Green Turtle as well as the more endangered Loggerhead Turtle.
Turtles nest from Red Beach at the southern end of Bribie right around to the northern tip of Bribie Island on the surf side. They come to these waters to check out food sources if they are coming into breeding age & season and then mate and lay their eggs here through from about October/November to about March/April.
As divers and snorkelers around the world know, few things rival the experience of seeing a sea turtle up close. The enormous reptiles–the largest of which can grow up to six feet long and weigh three-quarters of a ton–glide through the water with otherworldly ease. On a nesting beach, one can witness the miracle of hundreds of baby turtles emerging from their buried eggs and clumsily bolting toward the surf. Unfortunately, many of the same trends that threaten island ecosystems around the world have hit sea turtles particularly hard. Coastal development has upended many of the beaches that they nest in. Eggs are trampled by foot traffic or eaten by pets and invasive species. Discarded fishing lines and other debris constitute a fatal entanglement or choking hazard. And in some places, people still hunt sea turtles and gather their eggs for food. Of the seven species of sea turtle, two are critically endangered and the rest are classified as endangered or vulnerable.
So remember, while you are out and about, please take care to avoid causing any damage to nesting grounds and remove any rubbish you have brought with you or you can see discarded by others.