#flatback turtle

TINY CRABS ARE MAJOR PREDATORS OF FLATBACK TURTLE HATCHLINGS

Flatback turtles (Natator depressus) face predation risks during their hatchling stage on Thevenard Island, Western Australia. A recent study found that while no egg predation occurred, about 30% of hatchlings were consumed, primarily by ghost crabs (Ocypode convexa). Gulls and Caspian terns were also observed preying on hatchlings, although these were less common.

The absence of egg predation is unexpected and may be explained by the strategic nesting choices of female turtles or the composition of the eggshells. Despite these protective mechanisms, the survival rate from egg to hatchling remains vulnerable.

- Ghost crabs (encircled), and silver gulls and a Caspian tern predating on flatback turtle hatchlings emerging from nests, recorded by infra-red video camera on Thevenard Island, Pilbara region, Western Australia.

Conservation strategies must address these predation threats, particularly by targeting human disturbances and reducing predator populations in key nesting areas. These findings offer vital insights into the challenges affecting flatback turtle populations and their long-term recovery.

Photograph: Golden ghost crab by kaiwolfe

Flatback Sea Turtle

The Flatback Turtle (Natator depressus) is named after it’s flat shell (carapace) which is not curved like other sea turtles but is upturned at the outer margins. They weigh about 200 lbs and can be approximately 3 feet in length. The Flatback has an omnivorous diet consisting of jellyfish, sea cucumbers, soft corals, shrimp, crabs, molluscs, fish and seaweed. Their range is small and they are non-migratory. They occur in the coastal waters of Northern Australia, Southern Indonesia, and Southern Papua New Guinea. Unlike other sea turtles, they do not have an oceanic phase of their life and are not found in pelagic waters. Saltwater crocodiles prey upon the Flatback and females have been attacked while attempting to nest. Under the Australian Commonwealth’s Endangered Species Protection Act they are listed as Vulnerable but under the IUCN Red List they are listed as Data Deficient. The threats that they face are like those of other sea turtles; entanglement in fishing gear, habitat loss and destruction, and the harvesting of their meat and eggs. 

Photograph: Daniel Hartley-Allen/Rex Features

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Flatback Sea Turtle hatchling