Jodie the turtle released to celebrate World Turtle Day

On the eve of World Turtle Day, the Port Stephens-Great Lakes Marine Park has released its fifth turtle fitted with a satellite tag as part of its turtle monitoring program.

Scientific Officer with the NSW Department of Primary Industries, David Harasti, said a female Hawksbill turtle named Jodie was released yesterday, one day before World Turtle Day.

“Jodie was found washed up on a beach near Forster and spent six weeks at the Taronga Wildlife Hospital being rehabilitated,” Mr Harasti said.

“She had swallowed a lot of plastic that was preventing her from feeding properly and treatment at the hospital helped the plastic pass through her stomach and intestines.”

Mr Harasti said research on marine turtles in the Port Stephens-Great Lakes Marine Park commenced in 2011.

“Attaching satellite tags to rehabilitated turtles is providing valuable information on the home range and movements of these sea turtles,” he said.

“The tags will transmit for around 500 days, letting us track each turtle’s movements as part of the Marine Parks Authority turtle monitoring project.

“Every time a tagged turtle surfaces to breathe, its tag sends a signal to overhead satellites which notifies us of its location.

“For example, late last year we released Max at Nelson Bay and his movements provided a fascinating insight into his behaviour.

"Max travelled 220 kilometres to Gosford and back in just eight days."

High resolution photographs of Jodie’s release are available.

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