Fact sheet

File type: PDF

NESP Marine and Coastal Hub (2024). Improving the health of seagrass and turtles – Pulu-Keeling National Park. Project 4.11 Information sheet. Reef and Rainforest Research Centre, Cairns, Queensland.

2024

Overview

Seagrass meadows around the Cocos Keeling Islands (CKI) are culturally important to the Cocos Malay community, and ecologically important for many species including green sea turtles. Between 2006 and 2018 mapping surveys detected a 19 km2 seagrass die-off, representing an 80% loss. This coincided with dredging for a new port facility, hot weather and calm conditions, and subsequent grazing pressure from green turtles.

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