Dangerous Liaisons

It’s spring, and love is in the air … and in the water.

As the days grow longer, green turtles are answering the call of another nesting season. Their courtship can be a marathon, with mating pairs attached for hours, often spending extended time at the surface.

It’s there, where ancient mating behaviours meet modern boating activity, that a little care from us can go a long way toward protecting our most iconic marine life.

For Moreton Bay’s green turtles, spring is part of a story that reaches far beyond our shores. The Bay’s seagrass meadows nourish turtles through years of growth, helping them build the reserves needed for long breeding migrations. Most breeding females from the Bay travel north to nest on the Capricorn–Bunker islands of the southern Great Barrier Reef, between North West Island and Lady Elliot Island. The turtles we watch here may later haul themselves onto a distant island beach to lay the next generation. Looking after them in Moreton Bay helps that story continue.

In southern Queensland, green turtle mating generally begins around mid-September, peaks in October and continues until about mid-November. Nesting follows, with females laying successive clutches through the warmer months.

But turtle romance is hardly a leisurely affair. A male holds onto the female’s shell with claws on his front flippers, while rivals may try to dislodge him. Courtship is competitive, physically demanding and anything but tender. Throughout these prolonged encounters, the pair must keep surfacing for air. Those moments leave them exposed to passing boats and jet skis, adding a deadly hazard to an already demanding activity.

So it’s a simple message to everyone heading out on the Bay: give turtles room for romance, and “go slow for those below”. Adding your wildlife observations to platforms like iNaturalist will help build a better picture of when and where turtle aggregations are occurring, thus aiding better planning for conservation.

On your next trip, take it slowly, reduce speed around shallow banks, seagrass meadows and island and follow Moreton Bay Marine Park’s requirements in go-slow areas. Have someone help scan the water ahead. Polarised sunglasses can reduce glare and make turtles easier to spot.

Let romance run its course. If you encounter a mating pair, give them plenty of space. Enjoy the privilege of seeing them without approaching or interrupting. A turtle reaching breeding age has already survived decades of challenges. Ahead may lie many more breeding seasons, long journeys and generations of hatchlings.

As we head onto the water to enjoy spring, their future is something we can help protect—with a watchful eye, a little more space–and a gentler hand on the throttle.

Report sick, injured, entangled or dead turtles through the QWildlife app or call 1300 130 372.

Download the Marine Parks Southern Queenland App for zoning and designated area information on your phone.