Waru, why you? …because…

Australia’s own, the flat-back turtle, is under threat of annihilation.

They have survived for millions of years. Their eggs are a touch bigger than golf balls. Their young are the largest hatchlings of any turtle. They carry shields that grant no defense against the barrage of predators they’re facing in the first few minutes of life. Feral pigs on the mainland ensure they don’t ever get to see the ocean.

It’s breeding time for the flat-back turtles and Crab Island is the largest nesting site in the world for them. They first arrive late afternoon, bobbing their heads out of the water, eyeing up a suitable patch. They then drag their heavy bodies out of the ocean, head up high on the beach and start digging. The front flippers dig a ‘body pit’, before the rear flippers dig an egg chamber, about 0.5m deep. Her flippers are much like hands, having similar control to scoop up a handful of sand and bring it to the surface.

While one flipper reaches deep, the other flicks the previous load away. And so she builds her nest with efficient and coordinated movements, without wasting any time. She deposits about 50 eggs (other species lay at least 100) and covers the nest. The turtle is in a trance-like state when laying her eggs. Once done, she covers her eggs and heads back to the ocean.

The flat-back sea turtle is endangered with extinction. They are unique amongst the world’s 7 sea turtle species: They are known as ‘Australia’s Sea Turtles,’ because they nest only on the nation’s far northern beaches – the most restricted distribution of any turtle. They lay fewer, but larger eggs. They have a skin like shell with upturned edges. And they lack an oceanic phase, staying close to the coast as youngsters, unlike other sea turtle hatch-lings that can travel across large oceans. They are rare and little studied. Currently on the island are sea turtle researchers Mr Brett Leis, Dr Ian Bell and Dr Barry Krueger. Their aim is to collect nesting biology data, describe nesting patterns, and examine 10 of the turtles each night to find out if they are first time breeders by way of laparoscopy.

Inside the turtle, Dr Ian Bell is looking for ovarian scars, the telltale signs left from previously delivered eggs. The future eggs will be laid in another season (they show as white / yellow round dots). Following the examination the cut is stitched shut.

Mr Leis has been researching the Crab Island flat-back turtle rookery for several years and currently manages the Cape York Sea Turtle Project (working for Cape York Sustainable Futures). Both Dr Ian Bell and Dr Barry Krueger are world renowned sea turtle experts. Dr Bell works as a Senior Conservation Officer for Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service specializing in sea turtles, whilst Dr Krueger is a sea turtle biologist who has worked all over the world, more recently on flat-back turtles in the Pilbara region of WA and previously managed the Barbados hawksbill turtle project in the Caribbean for many years.

It is about midnight on Crab Island and life is in full swing, and so is death. While the female flat-backs deposit their eggs, hatchlings emerge by the hundreds, perhaps thousands, all heading to the water. The shell is soft but firm. The hatchlings will be lucky to survive the first few minutes. Laying in wait are the Ghost Crabs that carry them off. If they don’t get them then the Rufus Night Herrons will, or the Beach Stone Curlews, the Jabirus and Pelicans. If any of them should miss some, then large numbers of crocs scoop them up with their heads turned sideways. “Only one in a 1000 will survive into adulthood,” says Mr Leis.

The spotlight reveals the eyes of most crocs, as they feast on the hatchlings on the sand. As soon as the quad bike gets nearer, they run to the water, some more reluctant than others. Whilst driving along the beach, Mr Leis marks the GPS positions of turtles, for later analysis.

Mr Leis estimates that about 500 flat-back turtles came to nest this night. The sex of newborn hatchlings is determined by the temperature of the sand. Cooler sand will produce male offspring. The mainland may be warmer, producing female offspring. Mr Leis, “The mainland nesting population is critical for this fact, however feral pigs are wiping out most nests and this has the potential to cause regional extinction of turtles in the area, including Crab Island, because the population relies on these females.”

The turtle’s length is recorded and she is tagged before being released.

Crab Island is lucky not to have the introduced wild pigs, which devastate the breeding grounds on the mainland.

In 50 years time the newborn will return here, to lay their eggs in the sand, continuing a cycle that started millions of years ago. The researchers have been tracking turtles by satellite, which has shown that flat-back turtles can migrate as far away as 3000km to nest here. “We are in day four now,” says Dr Ian Bell, when asked how many first-time breeders were found. “It seems to fluctuate each day. We had 17 last night, and fifteen were experienced breeders with two new recruits to the population. It’s a very small sample size, but we need to finish off the study to see what the whole 50 look like.”

This night the researchers have found ‘fibropapilloma’ on 2 of the turtles. The disease is a herpes virus afflicting some of the turtles, with ‘cauliflower’ like tumors externally, but can have internal growth as well. The disease was found in Green Turtles as early as 1980s. It now affects all sea turtle species, but has been rarely seen on flat-back turtles. “Fibropapilloma could be a result of stress from pollution or poor water quality,” says Mr Leis.

“Down in Moreton Bay (near Brisbane), a lot of green turtles have fibropapilloma that may be a result of living close to an urban area. Turtles travel far. These flatbacks could have been coming from areas such as Indonesia or New Guinea. It would be interesting to find out where they are picking it up from.”

Some of the flat-backs on Crab Island had part of their flippers and shell bitten off. ”You see a lot of turtles have missing flippers and parts of shell; sharks tend to take a nice clean bite, whilst crocodile bites tend to be a bit more crunched,” explains Mr Leis.
Turtles can cut off their blood supply when losing a flipper. They do have a nervous system and are able to feel pain. “You see some pulling themselves out of the water with only one flipper, so they’re resilient tough girls,” says Mr Leis. “You have to admire their determination and effort to lay their eggs and the foundation for the next generation. I just wish us, as humans, we’re just as determined to ensure that sea turtles do not become extinct. But they face an uphill battle.” Crab Island is the largest nesting rookery for flat-back turtles in the world. Mr Brett Leis has been studying the rookery for 3 years and has been collecting valuable information to aid in the conservation of one of the world’s rarest and least studied species of sea turtle.

The research team has a lot on its plate: Operating from two camps, south of Jardine on the mainland and Crab Island, conducting simultaneous surveys to allow comparative analysis. Rangers in training: The team works closely with the Apudthama Land and Sea Rangers to provide training and to increase understanding in monitoring and research methods. Together with the Apudthama Land Trust and NPARC, they have been working to monitor turtles and protect turtle nests from feral pigs on the mainland beaches, particularly the beaches south of the Jardine River.

An email received with the heading ’World shame coast in Costa Rica’ shows whole communities plundering eggs from nests whilst the turtles are still on the beach. They are carried off by the bags full to be sold. Images cannot be shown for copyright reasons. Mr Leis identified them as olive ridley turtles, “They nest in a phenomenon called ‘Arribada’, in which all the turtles emerge over 1 or 2 nights in the season to nest. Unfortunately, it means they are easily exploited. Ironically, this is the same thing happening in the NPA, however it is feral pigs destroying every nest day after day. This sort of thing is happening all over the world, which saddens me. The once large nesting populations of olive ridleys that occurred in Peninsula Malaysia and Thailand are a classic example of over exploitation of sea turtle stocks. Long term, over-harvest of their eggs saw the population collapse and lead to their eventual decimation. They went from hundreds of thousands of nesting turtles a year to zero… in a matter of decades. Same story, if there are no eggs to hatch, then there are no turtles to come back in the future. This is why both, indiscriminate egg collecting and hunting of adults in the Torres Strait and NPA will have dire consequences: no adult females laying and no hatchlings returning as adults = no more turtles!”

Special thanks for help with this article to Mr Brett Leis.

The People: In 2011 the people living in the NPA are the Aboriginal tribes of Wuthathi (manta ray), Yadhaykenu (goanna, stingray, croc), Gudang (turtle with frog, goanna), Angkamuthi (Seven Rivers, fresh-water long-neck turtle), Atambaya (Utaga, dingo) peoples, the Kaurareg people (Muralag), Torres Strait Islanders: from the eight clans from Saibai: Saibai Kadal, Aith Kadal (Kadal = crocodile), Dheoybau (yam), Suim (a type of swamp bird), Baidham (shark), Umi (dog), Samu (emu come cassowary), Thabu (snake), their totem groups  Keoybuiyai (or Buwai, big totem group) and Migina (small totem group);  from Marpuna the children of: the Mparkwithi, Taepithiggi, Thaynhakwith, Warrangku, Yupungathi peoples and traditional owners from that area, the Tjungundji people;  the people who carry in their ancestry the Kambarra (crocodile), the Kabi-Kabi (S.E. Qld), Suibaidam clan, Kaanju, Umpila, Lama Lama, Aya Pathu. Wunta (wind), Yintjingga (sea eagle), Koong’Kai (Kukuyau, north clan and Yeepai, south clan on east coast, Lockhart), Uwinthyn (fresh water turtle), bower bird, stingray, Utingu (Simpson Bay); the many tribes, clans and totem groups from the mainland and islands, from Mer (Murray), Kubin (Moa), Mabuiag, Iama (Yam), Yorke (Masig), Ugar (Stephens), Erub (Darnley), Poruma (Coconut), Narupai (Horn), Dauan (Cornwallis), Boigu and the islands east to west, north to south in the Torres Strait, from Palm Island, Coen, Lockhart, Port Stuart, Normanton, Cairns, from across the state, across the country and far beyond (Papua New Guinea, Rotuma, Fiji and other Melanesian and Polynesian islands, such as Samoa, New Zealand, from Borneo, Malaysia, S.E. Asia to Europe).

This listing is not complete as most carry within a list several times this length. No new villages or townships have been built since, but each community has available lots for future growth or is already in progress of expanding.

The place names: Cowal Creek (small river) was once the name of a place and a creek. It become Injinoo (derived from ‘Ing hinu’ (a place to sit), but both names are still understood today.

The area of Ichirru (in Ikya) is now better known as Bamaga.

Alau, Umagico (the ‘Rainbow Serpent’ in one of the Lockhart languages) is still known by both names locally. Alau being derived from Lalau, a Gudang language.

Mandignou (Mandingu), once Charcoal Burner in Hidden Valley, is New Mapoon, retaining its original name in ‘Mandignou Apudthama Apang’ (Gudang language, New Mapoon Family Place), the new All Abilities Playground.

Red Island Point is Seisia with Red Island located across from Seisia Jetty, the area was known as Ithunji (in Ikya language).

Each of the original tribal groups from the areas may have had different names for these places.

at edge of dawn toiled through,
raced from the rising sun
thought safe, found crocs lay waiting still
cut short so many trails

dodged all to reach the cool,
escaped the birds, the fish, the sharks
that came to hunt, each made their claim,
I’ve travelled long, swam far and wide
each year our numbers thinning
but managed to grow old

no breath is left, as left I’m left
at sign that says ‘Carcasses’
with arrow pointing right,
left next to remnants of a feast

all things must die, and so have I
as feast refused I boil amidst refuse,
death does not come with reason

The spring claimed that it owned the creek,

the creek claimed rivers and the sea,

the banks and shores amazed,

‘Without us, where they’d be?’

All raised their voice,

each claimed their own,

‘cept one with many names…

‘What do you own?’ they questioned.

‘All that I ever own is I,

was born with all I had,

and when I die each part of it

I will be giving back.’

‘All that you own you are?’

The rivers fell as banks gave way

and ground beneath drained sea.

…when earth looked in its pockets

found soil and seeds and streams,

found bones and  rocks and golden locks

and as it always knew…

‘Then take a look inside yourself,

you, one with many names,

is not all that you are of me,

all that you own on loan?’

…then asked the falling drops of rain,

‘Where will you go?’

‘We’re coming home.’

the leaves are listening

the slightest breeze

will make them sway

and when they do

the forest knows

and all the leaves will whisper.

How many challengers dared him?

How many did he have to fight?

How many came that sought me worthy as a prize?

Hush, breathe no sound.

I need to know,

the child I was is gone!

He fought not one,

none came to claim.

And you stood by and let him take?

He’s drunk, he doesn’t know he did.

I’m not, I do.

Forever I shall carry this.

I washed the sheets,

so you not be upset

Knocked out I was,

another scar reminds.

Hush now, this is your birthday.

I am at five no more a child,

What will I be at six, or ten?

ignore what’s there,

‘Blind Eye’ they say,

soon be no place to turn to

Eliana, giving, warming, radiating light,
meets Adrian, absorbing, taking, cold and dark,
at the edge where day meets night

“Be as I,” she says,
“we can be warm”

“Cold is part of my being,
warmth I have none to give”

“Be as I,” she says,
“I am illuminating”

“Dark is my being,
even in your light,
else none you’d see”

“Be as I,” she says,
“I’m giving”

“Taking is part of my being,
be that warmth or light,
I give what I can
coldness to warmth,
darkness to light”

“Be as I,” she says,
“I am a star”

“I am the space in which you dwell”

“I do shine everywhere,
in all directions from my core”

“Your shine is only within me,
you can not shine around me”

“I‘m giving life,” she says

“By taking your own,” says he

“Be as I,” she says,
“be giving, warming, radiate with me”

“I have no core that‘s self consuming,
I can not take from self to give,
as water I surround whatever is within”

“Darkness I give, darkness I am,
is this not what you need to shine?”
“Coldness I give, coldness I am,
your heat would quicken my demise,
if I were another sun”

“I’m giving life,” she says

“I am forever,” he replies

23.Apr 2009

Inside the ward I get to meet her 5-year-old sister Whenna, who had both parents as visitors.

Just as charming as her older sister, Whenna checks out Dr Shahla Rafiei.

Shhh, Asha dear, calm in your sleep,
there’s nothing coming causing fear,
you have a bad dream, it’s not real
you see another time or place

the breeze came from the east
calm, slow,
barely disturbing spider webs,
hardly moving leaves on trees,
oceans flat as sheets of glass,
no cloud reflections seen

breeze changes to wind
the branches sway,
debris flies
to where it had never been
leaves fly
branches bare their nakedness
white caps pushed
towards the west

The day began when it was night
much deeper than the depth of sight
in 15 seconds all will change
the sky, no eye had seen.

Three bodies on collision course
with planet blue, the first will miss
but not the other two,
9 seconds left of bliss.

The first deflected from its path
spews trailing debris in its wake
the next will not be kind, it hits
to shutter planet to its core

and plume of dust to rise and rising
the last of bodies slams in side
to split the planet into bits
and out of few born many

Asha wake up,
Asha awake,
there’re other blues
9 seconds long have passed,
15 seconds also gone,
nothing has happened yet

calm dear now
it was a dream

22. Oct 2008