Baby turtles hatch on the Great Barrier Reef

Fri, 2026-01-09 10:46

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Beaches along the Great Barrier Reef are coming alive as thousands of baby turtles hatch and rush to the sea in the “ultimate race for survival”.

Green, hawksbill, loggerhead and flatback turtle hatchlings are emerging from nests laid on mainland and island beaches across the Reef with the annual marine turtle hatching season now underway.

“It’s one of the most magical moments on the Reef,’’ Reef Authority turtle expert Paul Groves said.

“It’s a fantastic sight to witness baby turtles breaking free of the nest and heading for the ocean,” he said.

Six of the world’s seven marine turtle species are found in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area - making it one of the most important marine turtle habitats on the planet.

All marine turtle species found on the Reef are listed as either vulnerable or endangered.

Hatching turtles are highly vulnerable in their first moments of life, taking two or more days to reach the surface where they emerge as a group, usually at night.

Artificial lighting, obstacles on beaches, predators and human disturbance pose a deadly risk as they make their way from nest to ocean.

“These hatchlings have survived millions of years of evolution, but in those first moments it is the ultimate race for survival,’’ Reef Authority Field Management Director Dr Mark Read said.

“The journey from sand to sea is one of the most dangerous times of their lives - and human behaviour can tip the balance either way,’’ he said.

The Reef Authority is urging coastal communities and visitors to play their part during the hatching season by minimising light near beaches at night, avoiding known nesting areas, keeping dogs leashed and observing turtles quietly from a distance.

If you see a sea turtle nesting or hatching, upload your sighting to Eye on the Reef and contribute to our long-term understanding and protection of sea turtles. Known turtle nesting sites are from Raine Island off the tip of Cape York, to Magnetic, Heron, Lady Elliot and Lady Musgrave islands, as well as Mon Repos Beach near Bundaberg.

Five fun facts

Marine turtles, known as the ancient mariners of the sea, have been swimming Earth’s oceans for more than 150 million years.
Six of the world’s seven marine turtle species live in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.
Flatback turtles are found only in Australian waters and nest around northern Australia.
Female turtles can travel thousands of kilometres to return to the same region where they were born to lay their eggs.
Hatchlings instinctively move toward the brightest horizon - normally the ocean - which is why artificial lighting can disorient them.