CITIZEN scientists are needed for a turtle-ly vital project on the NSW north coast.
The NSW TurtleWatch program, coordinated by wildlife conservation group Australian Seabird Rescue, is looking for volunteers to gather vital data to help better understand the nesting behaviours of marine turtles and the threats they face.
The citizen scientists will be trained to monitor and record information including turtle numbers and activity, beach changes and usage, marine debri and pollution.
The NSW TurtleWatch program recently received $100,000 from the state government, as part of its Saving our Species program.
NSW environment minister Matt Kean said the project was a "fantastic opportunity" for residents to play a critical role in the conservation of marine turtles such as the loggerhead and green turtles.
"I am proud that our community can be part of this international effort to conserve the species and I encourage residents to put their hands up and get involved," he said.
"With more people regularly and systematically monitoring the local beaches, we will have better statistics about marine turtle nesting attempts and can use the data to inform and improve our beaches suitability for nesting in the future."
Five of the world's seven species of marine turtles call the waters of NSW home including the loggerhead and green turtles which nest on some NSW beaches.
Marine turtles face many threats, including beach erosion, artificial lighting and climate change which can affect nesting patterns.
For more information, or to register your interest in becoming a NSW TurtleWatch citizen scientist, click HERE.
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