Turtle nursery discovered under Quicksilver pontoon at Agincourt Reef
TURTLE HAVEN
A busy underwater sea turtle nursery has been discovered right under Quicksilver’s activity pontoon at Agincourt Reef.
For the past year, marine biologists from the local Reef Biosearch team have been tracking a group of young green turtles living around this floating platform, which sits in a sheltered lagoon off Cape Tribulation.
By looking at the unique patterns of scales on the turtles' faces, which work just like human fingerprints, the team has identified thirty-seven different young turtles.
Between official scientific surveys and photos handed in by tourists, 37 individual immature green turtles have now been identified with a total of 339 sightings recorded.
The study shows that the sheltered lagoons at Agincourt Reef are the perfect hangout for these turtles during their formative years.
Green turtles can live up to eighty years and do not fully mature until they are between thirty and fifty years old.
While adults eventually grow up to ninety centimeters long, the ones hanging around the platform are mostly smaller juveniles measuring between forty-five and fifty-five centimeters.
Reef Biosearch Manager Heather Platt explained that all of the documented turtles are immature, which tells the team that Agincourt Reef provides an ideal environment for their juvenile years.
The findings highlight the ecological importance of the AG3 area for feeding, residence and transit of juvenile turtles.
“All of our documented turtles are immature, which tells us Agincourt Reef provides an ideal environment for their juvenile years,” said Ms Platt.
“As the study continues, we’re hoping to better understand how long these turtles remain here before moving on to other parts of the reef.”
Tracking progress
Long-term monitoring has also provided insights into a young turtle’s healing journey.
“The ‘OG’ of our turtle survey, Charli, (first identified in 2023) appears to be doing very well after being sighted with a significant carapace injury in July 2024.
“We’ve been able to document his/her healing journey throughout the months that followed. Sighted in recent weeks, you'd almost never know the injury had occurred.”
Guests spending the day with Quicksilver are encouraged to submit their turtle photos to assist the Reef Biosearch team in monitoring the population.
The data collected in the turtle survey is contributing to broader conservation efforts, with records shared with the Sea Turtle Observatory to support population tracking along the Queensland coast.
This collaboration increases the likelihood of identifying these turtles again at future feeding or breeding sites across the Great Barrier Reef.
