Bob Irwin onboard Steve Irwin vessel for first time, expresses deep concerns for Australia’s turtles and dugongs

 Thursday, 06 June 2013 

Bob Irwin sits in the Captain’s chair on the ship
named after his son, Steve Irwin
photo: Sea Shepherd Australia/Eliza MuirheadOn Friday 10th May, 2013, Australian naturalist, animal conservationist and father of the late Steve Irwin, Bob Irwin visited the Steve Irwin vessel for the first time. It was an emotional experience for Bob and a very proud and exciting one for all the Sea Shepherd crew.

Bob Irwin (Bob Irwin Wildlife & Conservation Foundation) and Colin Riddell (Save Australian Dugongs and Turtles) were there also to speak about the coalition of groups supporting a call for animals that are listed as endangered or vulnerable, not be allowed to be killed by anyone.

As Sea Shepherd mission is to protect the biodiversity of our life supporting oceans, we strongly support Colin and Bob’s work and as thus are part of the coalition.

What is happening in parts of Australia is full-scale commercial hunting of endangered and vulnerable turtles and dugongs under the guise of native title. Australia’s dugong and turtle populations in Queensland are really struggling, no thanks to the loss of sea grass habitat caused by the run off of herbicides from the floods, via farms.

If something is not done now to save Australia’s turtles and dugongs, they will be lost forever and go the way of the Tasmanian Tiger. This would be a terrible loss to Australia’s marine environment and future generations.

Sea Shepherd also has heard that a number of Traditional owners have called for a moratorium on all dugong and turtle hunting in adversely affected areas, this is something Sea Shepherd strongly supports. Sea Shepherd will continue to monitor the situation and will do whatever we can to defend Australia's endangered marine species.

Exposing this illegal commercial trade under the guise of native title is a great up and coming documentary called Price Per Dozen, to find out more go here Price per Dozen (Click here)

And you can support the documentary via this Crowd Funding site: Indiegogo (Click here)

The unique dugong or sea cow
photo: Sea Shepherd Australia/Ben Cropp

Endangered sea turtle swims free
photo: Sea Shepherd Australia/Nicole McLachlan