Main image via The Sun + CNN + Nestia
Mother Nature has done it again and has left us stunned as we watched footage of 64,000 green sea turtles peacefully make their way towards their nesting ground in Australia.
The incredible drone footage filmed in Australia shows the world’s largest green sea turtle colony making their way to shore to lay their eggs.
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Queensland researchers have adopted the use of drones to help them more accurately survey the population of these magnificent but endangered animals.
One of the added benefits of using a drone is that you wind up having incredible videos like this one that leaves us in awe and wonder at the beauty of the Earth.
This is believed to be the biggest sea turtle aggregation ever caught on camera.
The colony of breeding animals, known as a rookery, was seen travelling towards Raine Island, a northern Great Barrier Reef island off far north Queensland.
Raine Island is known for being the world’s largest nesting site for the endangered green sea turtles.
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Researchers have found that using drones has been the most effective and accurate way to measure and count the turtles. Previously, researchers would use more laborious methods such as spray-painting the turtles’ backs while they rested on the beach to keep count of them.
Speaking to 7News, Andrew Dunstan from the Queensland Department of Environment and Science said:
“Trying to accurately count thousands of painted and unpainted turtles from a small boat in rough weather was difficult. Using a drone is easier, safer, much more accurate, and the data can be immediately and permanently stored.”
“This research is of prime importance to the understanding and management of the vulnerable green turtle population,” Andrew continued. “In the future, we will be able to automate these counts from video footage using artificial intelligence so the computer does the counting for us.”
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According to National Geographic, green turtles undertake lengthy migrations from their feeding sites to nesting grounds, with mating occurring every two to four years.
Female turtles often choose the same beach as their own mothers to nest on, which could explain why Raine Island is the popular choice for nesting for the endangered animals.
Each female turtle can lay up to 100 to 200 eggs which will take about two months to hatch.
The most dangerous time in a hatchling’s life however is when it makes the journey from nest to the sea, as it is during this time that it is an exposed target for multiple predators, including crabs and flocks of gulls.
Image via ABC
Green sea turtles have been classified as endangered due to the over-harvesting of their eggs and hunting of adults, as well as threats of being caught in fishing gear and the loss of nesting beach sites.
Queensland.com notes that tourists can visit the “abundance” of turtles at Raine Island, where the turtles can be seen “either sleeping on the bottom or cruising the walls.”
The migration of the green sea turtles is definitely a sight to behold! Thanks to technology, we’re able to witness this momentous occasion with our own eyes!
Hopefully we’ll be able to see more sights like this in the future! Good luck to all the little hatchlings, we’re crossing our fingers and toes that they make it safely back to sea!
Info via Unilad