Sea Turtles are the gardeners or some say, the ‘bees of the sea’, keeping the
oceans healthy. They keep seagrass beds functioning by cropping the
leaves and distributing seeds, and they keep coral reefs growing by feeding
on algae and allowing baby coral polyps to attach and grow.

Established in 2001, became the Sea Turtle Foundation in 2007.

What are sea turtles important?

Sea turtles play an important part in our marine ecosystems. Their eggs and hatchlings provide nutrients into an otherwise nutrient-poor environment. They are also a key food source for many species of reptile, fish, and bird, many of which time their own breeding seasons to coincide with the turtles. Without help, some turtle populations, that are already vulnerable and in decline, are
heading towards potential extinction.

What are the threats?

Threats include marine polution especially plastics, commercial fishing by catch, inappropriate coastal development, seabed exploration and mining, fertiliser run off from farming.

What's the Big Issue?

Sea turtles can take decades, depending on species, to mature enough to create baby turtles. The decline in turtle populations is being decimated at both ends of the lifecycle. According to Australian Marine Parks only 1 in 1000 hatchlings survive to adulthood (parksaustralia.gov.au), and for the sub adults and adults, their lives can be cut short from the threats outlined above. In short, there will not be enough of them keeping our oceans healthy so our planet has a chance of surviving.

How your donation helps us to help the Sea Turtles

1. Action - Beach and Ocean clean-ups in sea turtle habitats and their ocean pathways.

2. Research - Hatchling survival and marine plastics - increasing survivability for hatchlings and global research on marine plastics to help community, business and government take action to reduce the poluution in our oceans

3. Education - Schools - hands on scientific activities to undrstand sea tirtles and the challenges they face.

4. Community Engagement - community roadshow to inform about the challenges and the actions we can take as individuals and as a community.

5. Free sea turtle standings workshops for volunteers across Queensland. The workshops include topics on: stranding response procedures, sea turtle identification and basic first aid/care, OH&S, data collection/measurements/photos. Conducted with Department of Environment Science and Innovation.

We are a registered chairty so all donations over $2 are tax deductable. All donations are welcome. Best way to help is provide a small, reguar donation we can count on which allows us to plan and implement or programs and activities with certainty.

We produce a newsletter every few months, you can sign up using this link, it free, https://seaturtlefoundation.org/sign-up-to-our-newsletter

Thank you

Sea Turtle Foundation