Cairns turtle named Dennis released from rehab at Moore Reef via Sunlover Cruises

Surviving an entanglement with a “horrendous” ghost net and undergoing a limb amputation is only the start of a critically endangered turtle’s mission to keep his race alive.

Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre co-founder Jennie Gilbert releases hawksbill sea turtle named Dennis at Moore Reef, following about 18 months of care. Picture: Supplied

Surviving an entanglement with a “horrendous” ghost net and undergoing a limb amputation is only the start of a critically endangered turtle’s mission to keep his race alive.

Dennis, a juvenile hawksbill turtle was found caught in discarded fishing lines off the coast of Cooktown with severe injuries to a rear flipper leaving amputation as the only option.

For the past 18 months, the marine animal has been cared for by the team at Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre and with patience, specialised treatment, and constant monitoring, it slowly regained strength and adapted to life with one hind flipper.

“If you think about it, turtles in the wild will sometimes lose their flipper to a crocodile, a shark or a large fish when they’re little, so they’re very resilient on some things, on other things they just die,” CTRC co-founder Jennie Gilbert said.

Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre co-founder Jennie Gilbert and Sunlover Reef Cruises marketing manager Michelle Barry with hawksbill sea turtle named Dennis who was released at Moore Reef after about 18 months of care including an amputated hind flipper.

On Thursday, Dennis was released back into open waters via the Sunlover Reef Cruises Pontoon at Moore Reef.

Ms Gilbert said about 92 per cent of the hawksbill turtle population had been decimated in the past decade and among the multiple threats they faced including environmental, one was the value of their shell.
“They have one of the most beautiful shells and they’re hunted for them to make things like jewellery which will look like plastic, but it’s not.”

She said Dennis, estimated to be about 10, was too young to sex, but conservationists were hoping the turtle was a male, as warming sands had increasingly resulted in female‑skewed clutches.

Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre co-founder Jennie Gilbert with hawksbill sea turtle named Dennis on the Sunlover Reef Cruises boat enroute to Moore Reef for the animal's release after about 18 months of care.

The sea turtles typically matured for breeding in their late 20s to early 30s and it was expected Dennis would make himself home around the Far North’s reefs.

But until then, he would face the constant challenge of survival in an ever-changing environment, Sunlover Reef Cruises marketing manager and master reef guide Michelle Barry said.

“Obviously with warming sea temperatures, we look at food loss – his favourite foods are sea anemones – which are susceptible to sudden ocean changes.

“Other things include humans and boats, we see a lot of boat injuries, and of course ghost nets.”

A hawksbill sea turtle named Dennis who was under the care of the Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre for about 18 months.

Ms Barry said while Moore Reef was home to the business’ pontoon, it was also a desired habitat for turtles.

“We do have quite a few other juvenile turtles that regularly call them Moore Reef home, we do have quite a bit of food and I think they enjoy being around the people – It’s a sense of protection because bigger people are bigger than the sharks out there.”

“This will be a great way for Dennis to engage with other turtles, see what they’re doing and pick up some habits, watching them where they’re feeding and possibly just mimicking them. “So it’s kind of like a communal rehab out there.”

A satellite tracking tag, fitted in partnership with BioPixel Oceans Foundation, will allow researchers and the public to follow his movements via BioTracker.

Originally published as Cairns turtle named Dennis released from rehab at Moore Reef via Sunlover Cruises