Nest to Ocean Program
The Nest to Ocean Program undertakes predator control and turtle nest monitoring activities across 43 beaches covering 564 km of Queensland coastline. Additionally, 57 uninhabited islands in the Torres Strait has been surveyed for the endangered hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricate) adding significantly to the known extent of nesting effort and success of hawksbill turtles in the Torres Strait.
Since its inception, the program has contributed to 31,244 turtle nests being monitored, the removal of 33,815 feral pigs, the direct protection of 397 nests and the fumigation of 363 fox dens. As a result, 27,437 turtle nests survived predation (approximately 81% of the monitored nests), producing 1.35 million turtle hatchlings. Studies of turtle nesting on Cape York in the late 1970s and early 1980s showed that feral pigs were responsible for predation of more than 70% of turtle nests. The Nest to Ocean Program has made a dramatic improvement to turtle hatchling survival in the past 4-6 years. The program has been supported by 148 Indigenous rangers who undertook predator control and nest monitoring.
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