Drone Captures World's Biggest Green Sea Turtle Colony Heading To Nest

Jun 12, 2020 by apost team

Using drones and a stripe of white paint on the back of adult turtles, the researchers from the Raine Island Recovery Project estimated there were 64,000 endangered green turtles at the Raine Island rookery in the Great Barrier Reef.

The Queensland, Australian government is using the latest technology to capture the behavior of some of the most ancient creatures on earth. As the green sea turtles perform their annual migration from the far-flung reaches of the Pacific, their movements are being captured by camera-wielding drones.

Because green sea turtles are endangered, it's important for the Queensland government to assess how many of them are returning to their ancestral nesting grounds. Thanks to this drone footage, they've been able to count 64,000 of them.

These gentle giants—the only herbivorous sea turtle on Earth—make their way to Raine Island every year. While the nesting habits of sea turtles may vary depending on location, these particular ones will typically nest from October to February. Why, then, do they begin their long swim in early June? Only nature knows the answer.

apost.com

What sets this colony apart is its sheer size. The nesting grounds around Raine Island—what experts refer to as a "rookery"—are the largest in the world. This phenomenon is largely due to the remoteness of the island.

64,000 sea turtles might sound like a lot but bear in mind that this number accounts for a significant percentage of the mass population. That's why it's vital for the government to attain an accurate figure.

Raine Island sits at the northern tip of the Great Barrier Reef. As such, it can be difficult for scientists to gain access to the information they need. In the past, researchers would perform headcounts while perched on a distant boat. Some would venture ashore and mark the shells of the nesting turtles with white paint so that they could be identified more easily.

Nevertheless, the results couldn't be counted upon. "Trying to accurately count thousands of painted and unpainted turtles from a small boat in rough weather was difficult," said Andrew Dustan — a representative from the Queensland Department of Environment and Science — in an interview with China Global Television Network. Drones provide a carefree and hands-off alternative to these crude methods. In addition, it makes for some awe-inspiring viewing. It can be difficult to visualize more than 60,000 sea turtles, but this footage makes it possible.

As Dunstan puts it:

"Using a drone is easier, safer, much more accurate, and the data can be immediately and permanently stored. This research is of prime importance to the understanding and management of the vulnerable green turtle population. In the future, we will be able to automate these counts from video footage using artificial intelligence so the computer does the counting for us."

Although these migrations have been taking place for millions of years, the methods used for studying the phenomenon have progressed with the times. With the advent of drone technology, researchers will be able to gain a more accurate assessment of the sea turtle population.

What are your thoughts on these latest developments? We'd love to know what you and your friends have to say about the plight of the sea turtles and the government's role in protecting them.