Sea Turtle Alliance today launched a new turtle awareness campaign highlighting how the community can help make a difference this turtle season.
The turtle awareness campaign focuses on increasing public awareness of the nesting and hatchling phases of each year’s turtle season on local beaches.
Sea Turtle Alliance president Gary Brandon said the turtle awareness campaign had two phases.
The first was the release of two videos to social media, schools and local media. It was launched at Mon Repos with students from St Luke’s Anglican School.
Gary said these were the anchor points of the campaign, aimed at educating locals and visitors to the Bundaberg Region.
“The video focuses on spreading the message that we all play a part in protecting our turtles,” Gary said.
“Whether it’s cutting the glow and light pollution along the coastal areas, there are ways we can all help by doing simple things such as shutting the curtains and switching off the lights.”
Another message Gary said was important to spread, especially to those from out of the region, was to inform boat users about going slow while boating in coastal waters during turtle season.
As the second part of the campaign, Sea Turtle Alliance will hold public information afternoons during the turtle season at Oaks Beach, Neilson Park and Archies.
These will help educate local residents and holiday makers about the endangered sea turtles and turtle research in the Bundaberg Region.
Gary said this awareness campaign includes how people should react if they find a turtle laying eggs or hatchlings along local beaches.
“This campaign aims to highlight how everyone can play their part in making a real difference in support of endangered sea turtles,” he said.
“It will also cover the impacts of light pollution, overuse of plastics and the need for appropriate beach behaviours.
“Basic information on nesting turtles and their hatchlings, the processes involved in data collection and egg relocations could also be discussed with members of the public.
“Today’s videos are the anchor points of our public awareness campaign that aims at informing and educating both locals and visitors to our beaches at this time.
“This has been a great local collaboration with the STA, Shane Foley – artist and David Quarrell and Johnny Nicol, Associate Media.”
The turtle awareness campaign is funded by the Commonwealth Government's Communities Environment Program.
To find out more about the turtle awareness campaign click here.
