Even turtles are subject to 24/7 scrutiny

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A day or two ago, there was an interesting article on my newsfeed about Australian flatback turtles. These live and nest only in/on Australian waters and beaches. They can weigh up to 90 kgs. Up till now, research has focussed on their onshore habits which accounts for only 0.5% of their life. Now, 29 turtles, in Broome’s Roebuck Bay in West Australia, have been fitted with a gadget that records a range of different functions from flipper flaps (love that phrase – flipper flaps ) to deep dives. There is a camera option too, which records eight hours of video. Some of the footage shows a turtle fighting off a tiger shark. The equipment is attached to the shell with a suction cup. Even a turtle’s life is no longer private. And, in case you’re wondering, flatback turtles flipper-flap every second if cruising but four times a second when speeding. They also dig shallow holes in the sand as camouflage with resting. Joining a volunteer group of people who count the number of baby turtles making their way from their nests on the beach into the sea in on my bucket list. I wonder if I’ll ever do it. The photo is not of a flatback turtle but one we saw in a zoo.