DIVE LOG Australasia

Josie, from the Febrina is one of the best Trip Directors anywhere. She has a wonderful connection with marine life and is an expert at finding super macro critters. She is giving one of the pet turtles a delicious sponge to munch on at Fathers Reef, Kimbe Bay, New Britain.

THREATS TO TURTLES Because Loggerhead turtles build land based nest sites, predatory foxes, cats, dogs, reptiles and birds like to dig them up. Ghost nets fishing lines cause many turtles to drown or be crippled. Bright lights discourage turtle activity at night. Cyclones and storms drown them. Large sharks try to eat them. Humans are the main threat from hunting, stealing eggs and using the ocean as a garbage tip. Marine plastics clog up their digestive system. Shark nets kill them as by-catch. Propellor damage from outboard motors cause catastrophic injuries that are often fatal.

much bigger tail in adulthood and females have a longer plastron. Juveniles are harder to sex. They are territorial and have been observed fighting to drive off intruders to protect their food source. This is especially true for females. Dominant females will spar and drive off other females. Green turtles, ( Chelonia mydas ) are named for their green flesh, which is green as a result of their diet. They are herbivorous.

Nostalgia corner. This photo is from my very first published article, “Night diving on the Great Barrier Reef” in 1983 in Neville Coleman’s Underwater magazine. Nikon F Sea Tite housing, Kodachrome ISO 100 on a night dive Capricorn Bunker Group near Lady Musgrave Island.

After 48 years of interacting with turtles, I am sure that some turtles like to interact with sensible divers. They do make it clear when they want to be left alone but like your family dog, they do like a bit of love.

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DIVE LOG Australasia #408 - October ‘24

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