A large green sea turtle, estimated to be about 100 years old, has died after being struck by a boat near Hervey Bay in far north Queensland. The turtle was rescued by a tour boat crew who found it injured and distressed near Urangan Harbour.
Tour boat operator Peter Lynch said the turtle swam towards the vessel 'looking for help' after they slowed down. The animal had deep cuts to its head and shell, indicating it had been hit by another boat. Weighing about 100 kilograms and measuring one metre in length, it took several crew members and tourists to haul the turtle on board.
Wildlife Rescue Fraser Coast transported the turtle to a vet in Maryborough, but due to the severity of its injuries, the vet was forced to euthanase it. Wildlife rescuer Natalie Richardson described the turtle as 'a huge, big old turtle' that had likely endured much in its life.
Richardson noted that while such severe boat injuries are rare, boat strikes are a common threat to turtles. Injured turtles often cannot dive to feed and may starve without assistance. She urged the public to report injured wildlife, particularly marine life, and highlighted that most incidents are human-caused, including pollution, fishing line, and boat strikes.
The death of this large turtle is considered a significant loss, as sea turtles are slow-breeding species with only about one in a thousand reaching breeding size. Richardson emphasized that every individual matters for the future of the species.
