Cairns turtle rescue, rehabilitation centre at Aquarium
A $300,000 project to complete the Cairns Turtle Education and Rehabilitation Centre at Cairns Aquarium has been launched.
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A $300,000 project to complete the Cairns Turtle Education and Rehabilitation Centre at Cairns Aquarium has been launched.
Centre co-founder and James Cook University turtle researcher Jennie Gilbert said daily tours would now be offered at Cairns Aquarium, which had donated space for a new education centre, as well as at the turtle rehabilitation centre on Fitzroy Island.
“It’s an opportunity to learn about the threats facing this keystone species as well as their everyday life in the ocean,” she said.
“Not everyone can go out and see them in the ocean, but people can come here.”
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The current turtle on display, Leila, is three and a half years old and will be released with a state-of-the-art satellite tracker.
“From the ages of five to 10 years we know very little about what green turtles are up to – we call these the lost years – so being able to track what Leila is doing will be great,” Ms Gilbert said.
The project, funded by the federal and state governments, aims to increase the level of care and rehabilitation of marine turtles as well as focus on education and training.
Displays at the aquarium will enable school and other community groups as well as the general public to learn more about the threats to marine turtles and how to protect them. Tours will be run by aquarium education staff and can be booked at the aquarium front desk.
The centre, through the federal government’s Reef Trust, has already invested more than $300,000 in improvements to the rehabilitation centre on Fitzroy Island, including a new interpretative centre and turtle tour area.
The voluntary, not-for-profit organisation, which responds to marine turtle strandings and receives sick and injured turtles from Cape York to Airlie Beach, has 75 local volunteers as well as university student placements.
Originally published as Cairns turtle rescue, rehabilitation centre at Aquarium
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