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Conservation Status
Distribution and Habitat
- Seaweed-rich coral reefs
- Inshore seagrass pastures
- Tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific
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Breeding & Nesting
- Late November to January
- Southern Great Barrier Reef
13 major rookeries, including North West Island, Wreck Island, Hoskyn Island, Heron Island and the Coral Sea Cays.
- Northern Great Barrier Reef
5 major rookeries, including Raine Island and nearby Cays, and Bramble Cay in the Torres Strait.
- Southeastern Gulf of Carpentaria
3 major rookeries at Bountiful, Pisonia and Rocky Islands.
- North west Western Australia
Major rookeries, including the Lacepede Islands, sites north of Broome, Muiron Islands, Jurabi Coastal Park and Barrow and the Monte Bello Islands further south.
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© John Easley |
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Hatchlings
- Emerge late December to April
Characteristics
- 4 pairs of large scales on either side (costal scales)
- No thick overlapping scales
- Carapace high domed
- Colour light to dark green with dark mottling
- Adult carapace approx. 1.0m
Diet
- Diet – “Adult – seaweed (marine algae) and seagrass. Adults will feed on jellyfish (and other animals) when abundant but are predominantly herbivorous.
- Immature - carnivorous
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© Fiona Esszig |
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