"Down Under"...Water: Jacinta Shackleton and Sea Turtles of the Great Barrier Reef
BY FARRAH LEONE
Jacinta Shackleton is a marine biologist and educator at Lady Elliot Island, located right on the Great Barrier Reef. You might recognize her name from her stunning work filming and photographing marine animals. Most notably, she is 1/~50 people to have seen and filmed an Ornate Eagle Ray. WOS got the opportunity to get her inside knowledge on sea turtles in the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem.
1. What species of Sea turtle do you see on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR)?
On the Great Barrier Reef we see 6 of the 7 species of sea turtle including the Green, Loggerhead, Hawksbill, Flatback, Olive Ridley and Leatherback.
2. Is the GBR a good habitat for sea turtles/How does it support the sea turtles life style as opposed to other reefs?
The GBR is a great habitat for sea turtles hence why we are fortunate to see 6 species here! The GBR is the largest reef system in the world spanning over 2300km with 70 bioregions and 7 different core habitat types including sea grass meadows and coral reefs, both of which are utilized by sea turtles. As opposed to other reefs, the GBR is much larger, more varied in habitat types and also very healthy in comparison to other reef systems.
3. What do the sea turtles contribute back to the reef?
Sea turtles play an integral role in maintaining the health of various oceanic habitats. Firstly, if they are grazing in sea grass meadows they are keeping these areas controlled which ensures they do not become overgrown and also remain in good condition. Hawksbill sea turtles love to feed on sponges which creates more available space for corals to colonize which is a huge benefit for coral reefs. The nesting process is another plus for the environment as unhatched eggs are an important source of nutrients for vegetation on beaches. Turtles also play a large role in nutrient cycling and are important macro herbivores on the reef, controlling the amount of macro algal growth so overall they contribute greatly to the health of coral reefs!
4. What’s the local feeling towards eco-tourism?
On the Great Barrier Reef there is a large eco tourism industry which does a fantastic job of promoting this world heritage listed wonder. The local feeling is very positive which is reflected by the great feedback constantly flowing in from across the reef.
5. Do you believe ecotourism might scare away some of the turtles and other wildlife?
I believe this depends greatly on the activity occurring and zoning of the area. For example I work on Lady Elliot island which is a green zone(marine national park) which means no fishing, touching, taking etc. Our organization also committed to vessels with no propellers and converted them into jet propulsion which is much safer for the surrounding wildlife. The turtles on LEI are very calm around humans and aren’t too bothered and will even interact with them, but in other areas the turtles and other wildlife will avoid humans at all costs.
6. Whats your favorite part about working on the GBR?
I love educating people and showing them this magical underwater world for the first time. With this newfound love for the ocean comes a passion for protecting the reef which is what I strive to create.
7. What are your hopes for the future of sea turtle conservation? What would you like future scientists to know?
My hopes are that our efforts are doubled and that there is more focus on protecting these incredible creatures. Unfortunately the status for all 7 species is not looking great with the three species I encounter daily listed as either endangered or critically endangered so it’s hard for me to leave anything for future scientists. There is still relatively little known about sea turtles in terms of hatchlings and lifespan so hopefully these are some mysteries we can solve in years to come.
Check out all of Jacinta’s adventures and her journey to protect wildlife on instagram @jacintashackleton. Thank you for all the important work you do, Jacinta!