Experts from the United States, Australia and Aotearoa are taking flight from Whakatāne to learn more about critically endangered leatherback turtles.

Their research involves a series of flights following gridlines to visually record numbers of leatherback turtles and estimate distribution to help inform conservation strategies.

The research is funded through the DoC Marine Conservation Services Programme and is a first for New Zealand. DoC is leading the study locally, alongside Upwell Turtles (USA), and with support and expertise from Niwa, Monash University (Australia), and Moss Landing Marine Laboratories (USA).

Some of the team from Upwell Turtles, DoC, Niwa, and Monash University on a monitoring mission. Photo / Sean Williamson

International collaboration is essential to these research and conservation efforts because the West Pacific leatherback population being studied migrates huge distances across the entire Pacific Ocean.

DoC Senior Marine Science Advisor, Dr Karen Middlemiss, said leatherbacks are like the tuatara of the sea.

“They are as ancient as dinosaurs and their existence is under threat.

“The Western Pacific leatherback population has declined by more than 80% in the past 40 years and is at risk of extinction,” said Middlemiss.

Leatherbacks are seen off the east coast of New Zealand in summer and spring when the weather is warmer.

“Some of the population migrate here after nesting to forage on jellyfish and salps, but we don’t have a lot of information about them while they’re here.

“The Upwell team are world leaders in monitoring leatherback turtles and we are excited to be working together and benefiting from their knowledge and experience,” said Karen.

Sarah Dwyer of the DoC Aotea Operations Team and Sierra Fullmer, Research Project Technician for Upwell Turtles, ready to monitor leatherback turtles. The special ‘bubble window’ is a necessity for viewing directly below the plane. Photo / DoC

Dr George Shillinger, executive director of Upwell Turtles, said leatherbacks are among the most highly migratory and transboundary marine species on the planet.

“Effective conservation requires international collaboration from nesting beaches all the way to distant foraging habitats. We are thrilled to have New Zealand contributing to our global understanding and conservation of this ancient turtle species.”

“It’s also exciting for our team to be experiencing New Zealand’s marine biodiversity. It’s a hotspot for so many species, we’ve seen beaked whales, baleen whales, ocean sunfish, and many different dolphins and toothed whales,” said Shillinger.

Leatherbacks face many threats across their habitats, including unintentional capture by fisheries, the harvesting of adult turtles and eggs, plastic pollution, nesting beach habitat loss, climate change, and vessel strike.

The public can contribute to protecting leatherbacks and other marine animals by preventing plastics and pollution reaching the sea.

No marine turtles nest on beaches in New Zealand, any turtle on the beach should be reported immediately to 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468).