As the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and home to the most significant loggerhead turtle nesting population in the South Pacific, we pride ourselves on being a community that takes Great Care in protecting and conserving our natural experiences for future generations, especially our turtles!
With Mon Repos Turtle Centre bringing over 30,000 visitors to our region each year, our industry has a Great responsibility to build Great Care for Turtles into our business operations. Here are some tips on how your business can help take Great Care for these incredible creatures:
- TURN OFF UNNECESSARY INDOOR LIGHTING AT NIGHT
Most nesting and hatching activity occurs at night and artificial light can cause turtles to become disorientated. So, it is important to reduce any sources of artificial light where possible. If you cannot turn off indoor lights, you can help by closing curtains or blinds!
- USE LEDS AND COMPACT FLUORESCENTS WITH LOWER TEMPERATURES AND WARMER COLOURS.
Turtles are particularly sensitive to light in the blue spectrum. So we’d advise using lights with lower colour temperatures (2700–3000 K) that have a warm yellow or amber glow, as this will help reduce the amount of light in the blue spectrum. You can find more information about types of lighting in our Reducing Urban Glow Turtle Friendly Lighting Guide here.
- USE DIMMERS, MOTION SENSORS, OR TIMERS ON OUTDOOR LIGHTING
Hatchlings find their way to the ocean by moving toward the light on the horizon, which in a natural environment would be over the ocean. However light pollution can affect their ability to see the natural horizon leaving them disoriented and often moving away from the ocean and towards the town. Minimizing outdoor lighting is important in keeping the natural horizon bright.
- RECYCLE RIGHT AND KEEP RUBBISH OUT OF OUR WATERWAYS.
Keeping rubbish out of the waterways that flow to the ocean is so very important! According to Queensland’s Plastic Pollution Reduction Plan, if turtles ingest even just one piece of plastic, they have a 20% chance of morality. Learn how to correctly dispose of waste here.
- REDUCE SINGLE USE PLASTIC WHERE POSSIBLE
The Australian Marine Conservation Society have an abundance of free resources for businesses looking to reduce plastic use, making it even easier for you to play your part. http://www.marineconservation.org.au/ocean-plastic-pollution/">Click here for more info. If you’re hosting an event, did you know you can hire the #lessismore water bottle refill station? Find out more here.
- THE BIGGER PICTURE
As the legends at Sea Turtle Alliance say ‘Together we can all make a difference’, so start taking steps today to contribute to a more sustainable future! Start by calculating your business’ carbon emissions with EarthCheck’s Carbon Emission Calculator, read through Bundaberg’s Carbon Footprint Baseline Report to see how the local Tourism Industry plays a part in the bigger picture and learn how to develop sustainable practices within your business.
- SHARE TRAVEL FOR GREAT CONTENT
Team BT are always pumping out awe-inspiring content to influence visitors to Travel for Great. Follow Visit Bundaberg, read through our blogs and share the content across your own social media pages.
You can download our ‘Where Great Care Begins’ social tile here to share the message loud and proud! (We’ve even gone ahead an wrote the caption for you!) Be sure to tag @visitbundaberg or @bundabergtourism so we can see.
These resources have been put together through working in partnership with Sea Turtle Alliance, Bundaberg Regional Council and Queensland Parks & Wildlife Services. A collective effort to provide Great Care for the turtles that call our shores home.
Bundaberg Regional Council have also developed a range of assets for residents, businesses, and visitors to discover how they can become ‘Turtle-y Aware’. Click here to check them out.
