Marine Turtle Records for Norfolk Island, Compiled from Published and Survey Data

Parks Australia compiled all available published, anecdotal, and field survey data on marine turtles at Norfolk Island. The study confirms the island group is used for foraging by resident adult and juvenile Green turtles and adult Hawksbill turtles. This dataset record was provided to maintain access following the decommissioning of the Australian Marine Parks Science Atlas.

Use Cases

• Assess habitat usage for threatened marine turtle species based on compiled survey and anecdotal data.
• Inform environmental impact assessments for development proposals based on confirmed species presence.
• Analyze stranding records to understand species and age class mortality based on the description.
• Study foraging grounds for Green and Hawksbill turtles in relation to distant natal beaches.

Strengths

• Compiles multiple data sources including published, anecdotal, and field survey data.
• Confirms specific species (Chelonia mydas and Eretmochelys imbricata) and age classes using the habitat.
• Provides context for legal protection under Australian Federal legislation for threatened species.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic and temporal bias inherent to the compilation of historical records.

Provenance

Source

Parks Australia, referencing source publication 'Memoirs of the Queensland Museum'.

Collection Method

Compilation of published literature, anecdotal accounts, and field survey data.

Time Range

Records recognized since 1793, with study period not specified.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-15 02:12:12.367917; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Norfolk Island group, with connections to Melanesian, Polynesian islands, and north-eastern Australia.