From kindergarten to high school, Sunshine Coast students are turtle-y in love with turtles.
And thanks to the dedicated volunteers like Leisa Baldwin from TurtleCare Sunshine Coast, this year they’ve had the chance to learn about these ancient mariners firsthand.
On World Turtle Day (23 May) Sunshine Coast Council sent its thanks to Leisa and all the incredible volunteers from TurtleCare and Coolum and North Shore Coast Care who present to schools and community groups, sharing their knowledge with the next generation of conservationists.
Leisa Baldwin is the TurtleCare volunteer education leader and said in the past year there had been 16 turtle talks with 1540 students of all ages learning about the lifecycle, habitat and how we can protect and live alongside critically endangered loggerhead turtles.
“The children really seem to enjoy learning about turtles and it’s lovely to be able share the passion I have for these majestic sea creatures,” Leisa said.
“Hatchlings are the most popular topic with the kids wanting to know if they can breathe under the sand, how they get out of the nest, what happens if they get left behind and if a mother turtle can find the hatchlings if the nest is relocated.
“I’ve only been asked this once, but it was very heartfelt – will turtles become extinct?”
Top questions from children include:
• Does it hurt when we tag the turtles?
• How do they know where to go when the hatchlings get out of their nest and begin their migration journey?
• Can they swim?
• Do they sleep under water?
Sunshine Coast Council environment and liveability portfolio holder Cr Maria Suarez thanked Leisa for sharing ways to live in a wildlife friendly biosphere.
“By sharing knowledge with students, we hope to build a strong connection to turtles, which will last a lifetime and result in choices and actions to protect this species into the future,” Cr Suarez said.
Find out more about our marine turtles, the TurtleCare volunteer program and the tracking projects on council’s website by searching TurtleCare or Google TurtleCare Sunshine Coast.
