General Description

Body and head brown, sometimes with dark patches. White to yellow underneath. Shell rounded to heart-shaped with 5 plates (costal shields) in a row either side. Young hatchlings red-brown above and black-brown below. Up to 1.5 m long.

Biology

These turtles lay about 100 eggs in sand on beaches, mainly from October to May. Their diet includes squid, crustaceans, sea urchins and jellyfish. They are not permanent residents in Victorian waters, occasionally coming south when warm ocean currents permit travel.

Habitat

Open oceans and coasts.

Open water

Distribution guide

Worldwide in tropical waters. Mainly northern Australia. Occasional visitor to Victorian coastal waters and Port Phillip.

Species Group

Reptiles › Turtles

Depth

Shore (0-1 m)
Shallow (1-30 m)
Deep ( > 30 m)

Water Column

Surface Midwater

Max Size

1.5 m

Diet

Carnivore

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Recorded in Australia

Identify

• Turtles

Conservation Status

• DSE Advisory List : Not listed
• EPBC Act 1999 : Endangered
• IUCN Red List : Endangered