News
Endangered Turtle Strangled to Death by Fishing Rope at Mulgumpin
Tuesday, 12 Jul, 2022
Sea Shepherd volunteers have discovered a large loggerhead turtle killed by discarded fishing rope while conducting a remote clean-up of Mulgumpin / Moreton Island.
The turtle was found washed up on the western beaches of the island with discarded fishing gear, believed to be anchoring rope from a crab pot, firmly embedded in its neck.
Due to the size of its carapace (shell), the turtle is believed to be at least 70 years old.
Sea Shepherd Australia’s Remote Marine Debris Campaigner Grahame Lloyd said the unnecessary loss of this long-living animal is heartbreaking.
"This turtle has died an unnecessary and painful death from strangulation. It’s horrific seeing such a magnificent animal killed in this way.”
- Grahame Lloyd, Sea Shepherd Australia’s Remote Marine Debris Campaigner
This is not the first time Sea Shepherd volunteers have discovered a turtle killed by fishing gear in Queensland. In 2021, Sea Shepherd crew discovered the body of a vulnerable green turtle killed by a crab pot at Teerk Roo Ra National Park (Peel Island). In 2020, Sea Shepherd crew discovered the body of a large green sea turtle that had been entangled in a crab pot at Mulgumpin. In 2019, volunteers found another vulnerable green sea turtle killed by discarded fishing gear.
According to the Queensland Department of Environment and Science, turtle entanglements in crab pots alone account for up to 30 recorded deaths per year, highlighting “an increasing problem in Queensland.”
Grahame Lloyd said, “Mulgumpin is home to six of the seven turtle species found worldwide, and the Moreton Bay Marine Park has one of the most important feeding areas for loggerhead turtles on the East Coast of Australia. But sadly, every year, we are finding sea turtles killed by discarded fishing gear in the region.”
"Sea turtles have been traversing our ocean since dinosaurs roamed the earth. The persistent deaths of these ancient animals are devastating and totally avoidable. We need to address marine debris now; whether from commercial fishing practices, discarded ghost nets and rope or plastic debris.”
- Grahame Lloyd, Sea Shepherd Australia’s Remote Marine Debris Campaigner
About Sea Shepherd’s Mulgumpin Emergency Response: Marine Debris Clean-up
Since March 2022, Sea Shepherd volunteers have been working in partnership with Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services Rangers and Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation Land and Sea Rangers to clean up Mulgumpin from the devastating flooding that hit South-East Queensland. Across five clean-ups, our team has removed over 22 tonnes of debris from this island paradise.