Marine Turtle Nest Depredation by Feral Pigs on Cape York Peninsula, 2007

40.2% of marine turtle nests on Pennefarther Beach were lost during a 49-day study in 2007, with feral pig predation accounting for 89.6% of all mortality. The dataset documents laying and mortality patterns for flatback, olive ridley, and hawksbill turtle nests. It was produced by Parks Australia and published via data.gov.au.

Use Cases

• Modeling spatial clustering of predator activity based on the described non-random pattern of nest destruction.
• Assessing the relative impact of different mortality factors (depredation, erosion, inundation) on turtle nest success.
• Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of targeted versus broad-scale predator management based on the study's implications.

Strengths

• Specific mortality rates are provided: 40.2% overall nest loss, 93% due to depredation, 89.6% due specifically to pigs.
• Study design is clearly defined: data collected over a 49-day period in 2007 on a specific beach.
• Covers three threatened turtle species: flatback, olive ridley, and hawksbill.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data is from a single 49-day period in 2007; temporal generalizability may be limited.

Provenance

Source

Parks Australia

Collection Method

Field study documenting laying and mortality patterns on Pennefarther Beach.

Time Range

2007 (49-day period)

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-16 23:02:40.446874; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Pennefarther Beach, Western Cape York Peninsula, Australia