Mystery turtle deaths continue

Wildlife carers are concerned by more reports of dead turtles washing up on the beach at Boyne Island and Tannum Sands, south of Gladstone in central Queensland.

Fifteen turtles have been reportedly found, but the cause of death is unknown.

The Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) says it is investigating the matter.

Jodi Jones from the Gladstone District Wildlife Carers Association says she is disturbed to hear there could be more dead turtles.

"We've been getting reports since Sunday morning that there's been a significant number, over 10 now I believe, of turtles washed up on the Boyne River and Canoe Point side of the Boyne River," she said.

"I've been going to confirm that and yes, there have been.

"The majority of them are juvenile animals and they seem to be in perfect health.

"I'm concerned that as with a lot of residents down here that there has been extra fishing activity in the river and this could contribute to it but until the EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] has been down and investigated, they've taken animals for necropsies and what not to try and determine the cause of death."

DERM spokesman David Orgill says recent flooding may have increased fishing activity in the area.

"There appears to be a very high flow of water and certain fish species, which is making it attractive to people to undertake their recreational or professional activity in the area," he said.

"That's a change to the normal because we don't normally get turtles caught in nets.

"Because we don't normally get turtles caught in nets, we're certainly looking for other causes but it seems to be one of the distinct possibilities."

Mr Orgill says other causes have death have been ruled out.

"At the moment we've necropsied all of them and we've ruled out things like boat strikes, starvation, traditional hunting," he said.

There have been a couple of injuries like crushing injuries, but we've also had people seeing turtles in fishing nets."

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