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Miami Herald
25-03-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
Pregnant sea creature trapped under driftwood for hours in Australia. Then came rescue
A bird survey in a northern park of Australia turned into an essential rescue after rangers spotted a critically endangered sea creature trapped under driftwood. Rangers were conducting surveys of crested terns and lesser crested terns on Womer Cay, a tiny plot of land in the northern region of the Great Barrier Reef, when they spotted a sea turtle under a piece of wood, according to a March 21 news release from the country's Department of the Environment, Science, Tourism and Innovation. As they got closer, rangers saw that it was a female hawksbill turtle, a critically endangered species, according to the department. The turtle was likely trying to make her way up the shore to lay eggs, rangers said, but had become stuck under the driftwood. Sea turtles come to shore to lay their eggs at night, so when rangers approached the female turtle at 11 a.m, she had likely been trapped for hours, according to the release. 'Thankfully she was spotted and ranger Joman Tomasello carefully removed her from the log and carried her to the ocean,' ranger Katie Bampton said in the release. 'She would've been stuck for hours and due to the very hot conditions, we believe she wouldn't have survived much longer.' Tomasello carried the pregnant sea turtle close to the edge of the water and let her return to the sea on her own accord, Bampton said. 'When she was placed in front of the ocean, she took a little bit of time to get moving but eventually swam away,' Bampton said in the release. 'The water would've felt so good, and we're hoping she returned that evening to come ashore and lay a clutch of eggs.' Rangers said they identified track marks from other female hawksbill turtles and pits of sand where clutches had been laid. 'The rangers who were on that trip are thrilled that we were able to rescue her and send her on her way. These small cays in the Torres Strait and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park are remote but they are extremely important for bird life and turtles,' Bampton said in the release. Hawksbill turtles have sharp, pointed beaks and are known for being 'small but fast swimmers,' according to the release. Females nest four times per season and can lay as many as 140 eggs, rangers said. They can travel thousands of miles between where they nest, like Womer Cay, and the reefs where they feed. Hawksbill turtles are a critically endangered species that can be found across the warm waters of Atlantic and Pacific oceans, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources' Red List of Threatened Species. As many as 8,000 hawksbills nest on the northwestern coast of Australia and near the Great Barrier Reef, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 'Hawksbill turtles are critically endangered due to the impacts of climate change, accidental capture in fishing equipment and reef habitat destruction,' rangers said in the release. Womer Cay is off the northern coast of Queensland, Australia's northeastern territory.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Incredible pictures capture rare moment off Aussie coast: 'Extremely important'
Conservationists are celebrating the rescue of a critically endangered pregnant hawksbill turtle that had become stuck on a remote island off the Australian coast. Speaking to Yahoo News, a spokesperson from Queensland's Department of the Environment, Science, Tourism and Innovation (DETSI) said rangers were visiting Womer Cay — a small, sparsely vegetated cay about 65 kilometres east of Bamaga — when the incredible rescue took place. The mission occurred while crews were visiting some of the state's most northern parks earlier this year, during a trip from Lockhart River to Horn Island. During surveys for crested terns and lesser crested terns, a type of seabird, a female hawksbill turtle was discovered wedged beneath a large piece of driftwood. Ranger Katie Bampton speculated that the turtle had likely been attempting to reach the beach to lay a clutch of eggs when she became seriously stuck. "Thankfully she was spotted and ranger Joman Tomasello carefully removed her from the log and carried her to the ocean," Katie said. "We assumed she had been stuck since the previous evening when she came ashore to lay, and we found her around 11am." Rare sight in the sky leaves beachgoers in total awe Aussie council under pressure as iconic species ravaged Aussies warned as tourist beach braces for phenomenon "She would've been stuck for hours and due to the very hot conditions, we believe she wouldn't have survived much longer." Not only is it rare for people to see a hawksbill in the wild, the rescue is significant because the hawksbill turtle is critically endangered, meaning its population is extremely low and its survival is at risk. The rescue of a pregnant turtle is especially important, as it not only saves an individual animal but also helps ensure the continuation of the species. Hawksbill turtles play a vital role in marine ecosystems by maintaining the health of coral reefs. Their protection is crucial for biodiversity. Katie said after some initial hesitation, the soon-to-be mum eventually swam free. "The water would've felt so good, and we're hoping she returned to Womer Cay that evening to come ashore and lay a clutch of eggs," she said. "While we were on Womer Cay, we saw track marks on the beach where turtles had come ashore to lay, and we saw pits in the sand where clutches had hatched." She explained the turtles are so vulnerable largely due to the impacts of climate change, accidental capture in fishing equipment and reef habitat destruction. "The rangers who were on that trip are thrilled that we were able to rescue her and send her on her way," Katie said. These small cays in the Torres Strait and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park are remote but they are extremely important for bird life and turtles." Hawksbills are small but fast swimmers, with females nesting around four times each season, laying around 140 eggs. They are highly migratory, travelling thousands of kilometres between nesting and feeding grounds. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Yahoo
Kids filmed using snake as skipping rope
Shocking footage has emerged of children using a dead snake as a skipping rope near Rockhampton in Central Queensland. The video shows children from Woorabinda, about two hours from Rockhampton in Central Queensland, using a large, dead snake as a skipping rope. 'Show me that, show me what it is,' the woman in the video says. As the kids jumped and giggled, one of the boys said it was a black-headed python. It is unclear whether the python was already dead when the video was filmed, but the clip went viral online, attracting hundreds of views on social media and raising the alarm from the Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation. 'We condemn this inappropriate behaviour and will investigate the incident,' a spokesman said. The maximum fine for a person found guilty of killing or injuring a black-headed python is $12,615. The department urged residents to report incidents as they occur. 'The killing or injuring of native animals should be reported to the Department of the Environment, Science, Tourism and Innovation or the RSPCA,' the statement read. Black-headed pythons are one of the largest snakes in the country, native to northern regions of Australia and have been seen from Gladstone on Queensland's coast to the Northern Territory and Western Australia. They are a non-venomous species that can grow to a length of 3.5m and kill prey with constriction. The reptiles are usually very docile and harmless to humans and have been classified as a protected species under the Nature Conservation Act 1992. If they have been seen in the area, the department recommends leaving them alone and calling a snake catcher to safely remove them from the area.
