The Sea Turtle Resources of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Indian Ocean
Commonwealth of Australia, 2006
ISBN 0 642 552 967
PDF file
About the Report
This report documents the results of the seventh year of sea turtle research undertaken at Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are listed as important habitat for marine turtles in the Draft Recovery Plan for Marine Turtles (2005). Information gathered during this research assists in achieving the objectives of the Indian Ocean Sea Turtle Memorandum of Understanding (IOSEA) and the Marine Turtle Recovery Plan (2003).
The detailed aims of the study are to:
- Continue with the mark-recapture study on the southern atoll with the longterm goal of estimating population size
- Catch a sample of turtles to continue the assessment of species composition and size structure
- From the captured sample, obtain growth rates from previously tagged turtles
- Continue studies of the nesting turtles on North Keeling
- Collect genetic material from nesting female turtles
The project was linked with a Natural Heritage Trust funded project that used satellite tracking to identify movements of green turtles from their nesting beach on North Keeling Island.
In 2006, catch numbers of foraging turtles were increased to ensure more previously tagged turtles were recaptured and to build a larger base of tagged turtles for future years. Additional time was spent on North Keeling Island in 2006 to investigate numbers and nesting success of nesting green turtles.
This project was conducted under a contract with Parks Australia. Research was undertaken with approval from the Animal Ethics Committee at the Charles Darwin University.
For more information
More information on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands conservancy is available at www.environment.gov.au/parks/cocos.
This report is available in electronic form only.
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