Quick tips empower turtle rescue volunteers

The work of more than 150 volunteer responders to stranded turtles along the Great Barrier Reef just got easier thanks to a new guide produced by the Queensland Government and WWF-Australia. 

National Parks Minister Dr Steven Miles said the guide would help community volunteers respond quickly and effectively to marine animal strandings in the Great Barrier Reef region. 

The guide was produced with input from the Sea Turtle Foundation and the Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre, and funded through the Queensland Government’s Friends of Parks initiative. 

“The volunteers have all been trained to respond directly to stranded turtles and dugongs along the Great Barrier Reef coastline so that they can provide practical assistance to the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service when required,” Dr Miles said. 

“That training is now supported by this handy quick guide for volunteers to refer to while out and about responding to strandings.”

The guide includes a checklist to determine the best course of action in dealing with stranded marine life. 

Dr Miles said the guide was intended as an easy reference to help volunteers determine the best course of action quickly while attending actual strandings. 

“The survival of every sea turtle is important and most volunteers are responding out of compassion and the need to help injured animals,” Dr Miles said. 

“However, it’s also essential that accurate and comprehensive data is collected from each stranding event to feed into broader decisions about turtle conservation. 

“There’s a lot to remember and this handy pocket guide will be a huge help for everyone involved in turtle stranding responses.” 

Marine animal strandings should be reported to the RSPCA on 1300 ANIMAL (1300 264 625) with details of the location and a description of what appears to be wrong with the animal. 

More information on marine strandings is available at http://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/wildlife/caring-for-wildlife/marine_strandings.html 

ENDS 

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