A Record-Breaking Season for Loggerhead Turtles in Queensland, Australia

The turtle is Take 3 for the Sea’s ‘totem’, symbolizing resilience, longevity, and the importance of protecting marine life. So we were delighted to hear this recent good news from Queensland, Australia. 

Mon Repos Beach in Queensland made history this season, witnessing a record number of endangered loggerhead turtles nesting along its shores. More than 500 female turtles have returned to lay approximately 265,000 eggs since November, making this the most successful breeding season in decades. 

Located on the Bundaberg coast, Mon Repos is home to the largest concentration of nesting loggerhead turtles in Australia and the South Pacific. This year’s remarkable influx of turtles has been celebrated by conservationists, tourists, and rangers alike. 

Cathy Gatley, the ranger-in-charge at Mon Repos Conservation Park, described the season as “exciting,” with the highest nesting numbers recorded since the 1970s. Among the returning mothers was a turtle first tagged in 1980, now in her 13th breeding season. Alongside these experienced nesters, many first-time breeders have been spotted, likely returning after reaching maturity at around 30 years old. 

Experts believe the boom in nesting is due to favorable environmental conditions, particularly an abundance of food sources in the turtles’ feeding grounds. Loggerhead turtles rely on a diet of shellfish, crabs, sea urchins, and jellyfish to build up the strength necessary for breeding. 

Hatchlings began emerging in January and will continue to do so until March. These tiny turtles rely on the Earth’s magnetic field to guide them as they make their way to the ocean—a skill they will use again if they survive to adulthood and return to nest at Mon Repos in 30 years time. 

Tourists have been flocking to Mon Repos to witness this natural spectacle. The turtle tours, led by passionate rangers, have provided an unforgettable experience for visitors, inspiring many to take an active role in marine conservation. 

The record-breaking season at Mon Repos is a testament to decades of conservation work and habitat protection. However, loggerhead turtles still face numerous threats, including plastic pollution which can be devastating, leaving them starving, choking or tangled in plastic waste. That’s why is so important that we all work to reduce the amount of plastic waste these incredible creatures encounter in the ocean. Simple actions, like picking up three pieces of litter every time we visit the beach and reducing the amount of single-use plastic we use can help ensure turtles traverse the world’s oceans long into the future.