Out on the distant, turquoise fringe of Australia’s northwest waters lies Sandy Islet—a speck of coral sand at Scott Reef, and a quiet nesting haven for one of many planet’s most historical mariners: the inexperienced turtle.
These turtles glide gracefully via the water, following the traditional migratory sample traced via the ocean for 1000’s of years. These light creatures come to this distant spectacular reef to feed, relaxation and nest returning to the very seashores they have been born. The coral wealthy lagoons present a sanctuary, wealthy with meals and shelter from predators. However the sandy islet’s historical residents are at grave threat.
These genetically distinct turtles have been returning to this tiny two-hectare island for generations, burying their eggs in heat sand underneath moonlit skies. Two to 3 months later, the newly hatched inexperienced turtles make their approach to the ocean. However now, that peaceable rhythm is underneath risk.
And the hazard is coming from none apart from Woodside’s large Browse fuel mission, a part of the corporate’s climate-wrecking Burrup Hub enlargement.
What We’ve Discovered
Scott Reef’s inexperienced turtles aren’t only a native marvel—they’re a globally vital breeding inventory, a part of a species that’s already struggling within the face of local weather change and habitat loss. Each nesting seashore issues.
Woodside’s Turtle Administration Plan (TMP) for the Browse mission— is deeply regarding.
Let’s begin with the fundamentals: the inexperienced turtle inhabitants at Sandy Islet is listed as weak underneath Australian regulation. Which means it’s purported to get the best stage of safety. However the TMP doesn’t even meet the minimal normal set by the nationwide Marine Turtle Restoration Plan.
As a substitute, it underestimates the dangers, delays motion till injury is completed, and depends on outdated knowledge and flawed assumptions.
How Woodsides soiled fuel plans will harm turtles
Subsidence and Silent Extinction
When Woodside is sucking out fuel from underneath Scott Reef the risk is that it’ll trigger the seabed round Scott Reef to slowly sink, submerging the turtle’s Sandy islet. Woodside has their very own (over 20 years previous) knowledge on this and won’t make it public.
Mild Air pollution
Turtles are very delicate to gentle air pollution attributable to drilling and extracting fuel. Whereas grownup nesting females expertise some disturbance from lighting, hatchlings are particularly weak as they will change into disoriented or mis-oriented by synthetic gentle sources, probably main them away from the ocean and rising their vulnerability to predation. Woodside’s plan to drill for fuel at Scott Reef will introduce a number of sources of synthetic gentle together with fastened lights and vessel lighting.
The Threat of an Oil spill
A blowout at certainly one of Woodside’s wells may see Scott Reef and Sandy Islet coated in oily air pollution. Woodside has conceded that the impacts to Scott Reef from a serious spill like this “would possible be extreme and probably irreversible”.
What’s at Stake
If Sandy Islet vanishes, or if hatchlings can’t survive, this inhabitants may collapse. And as soon as that occurs, there’s no going again.
As a result of this isn’t nearly turtles. It’s about how far fossil gasoline firms will go to push their tasks ahead, even when it places weak wildlife in danger.
What we’d like now
On this world turtle day, we’d like decision-makers—and the general public—to see this for what it’s: a reckless gamble with certainly one of Australia’s most iconic marine species. The options are clear: acquire actual knowledge, plan forward, and observe the regulation.
Greenpeace will preserve preventing for the turtles of Sandy Islet—and the numerous different communities and ecosystems threatened by the Burrup Hub.
Keep tuned. The turtles can’t communicate, however we are able to communicate for them.
Out on the distant, turquoise fringe of Australia’s northwest waters lies Sandy Islet—a speck of coral sand at Scott Reef, and a quiet nesting haven for one of many planet’s most historical mariners: the inexperienced turtle.
These turtles glide gracefully via the water, following the traditional migratory sample traced via the ocean for 1000’s of years. These light creatures come to this distant spectacular reef to feed, relaxation and nest returning to the very seashores they have been born. The coral wealthy lagoons present a sanctuary, wealthy with meals and shelter from predators. However the sandy islet’s historical residents are at grave threat.
These genetically distinct turtles have been returning to this tiny two-hectare island for generations, burying their eggs in heat sand underneath moonlit skies. Two to 3 months later, the newly hatched inexperienced turtles make their approach to the ocean. However now, that peaceable rhythm is underneath risk.
And the hazard is coming from none apart from Woodside’s large Browse fuel mission, a part of the corporate’s climate-wrecking Burrup Hub enlargement.
What We’ve Discovered
Scott Reef’s inexperienced turtles aren’t only a native marvel—they’re a globally vital breeding inventory, a part of a species that’s already struggling within the face of local weather change and habitat loss. Each nesting seashore issues.
Woodside’s Turtle Administration Plan (TMP) for the Browse mission— is deeply regarding.
Let’s begin with the fundamentals: the inexperienced turtle inhabitants at Sandy Islet is listed as weak underneath Australian regulation. Which means it’s purported to get the best stage of safety. However the TMP doesn’t even meet the minimal normal set by the nationwide Marine Turtle Restoration Plan.
As a substitute, it underestimates the dangers, delays motion till injury is completed, and depends on outdated knowledge and flawed assumptions.
How Woodsides soiled fuel plans will harm turtles
Subsidence and Silent Extinction
When Woodside is sucking out fuel from underneath Scott Reef the risk is that it’ll trigger the seabed round Scott Reef to slowly sink, submerging the turtle’s Sandy islet. Woodside has their very own (over 20 years previous) knowledge on this and won’t make it public.
Mild Air pollution
Turtles are very delicate to gentle air pollution attributable to drilling and extracting fuel. Whereas grownup nesting females expertise some disturbance from lighting, hatchlings are particularly weak as they will change into disoriented or mis-oriented by synthetic gentle sources, probably main them away from the ocean and rising their vulnerability to predation. Woodside’s plan to drill for fuel at Scott Reef will introduce a number of sources of synthetic gentle together with fastened lights and vessel lighting.
The Threat of an Oil spill
A blowout at certainly one of Woodside’s wells may see Scott Reef and Sandy Islet coated in oily air pollution. Woodside has conceded that the impacts to Scott Reef from a serious spill like this “would possible be extreme and probably irreversible”.
What’s at Stake
If Sandy Islet vanishes, or if hatchlings can’t survive, this inhabitants may collapse. And as soon as that occurs, there’s no going again.
As a result of this isn’t nearly turtles. It’s about how far fossil gasoline firms will go to push their tasks ahead, even when it places weak wildlife in danger.
What we’d like now
On this world turtle day, we’d like decision-makers—and the general public—to see this for what it’s: a reckless gamble with certainly one of Australia’s most iconic marine species. The options are clear: acquire actual knowledge, plan forward, and observe the regulation.
Greenpeace will preserve preventing for the turtles of Sandy Islet—and the numerous different communities and ecosystems threatened by the Burrup Hub.
Keep tuned. The turtles can’t communicate, however we are able to communicate for them.
