JCU Turtle Health Research

Understanding healthy sea turtles so the world can take better care of sick and injured species and return them to their ocean ecosystem.

Baby turtle swiming.

Sea turtles are a beloved and iconic fixture in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and in oceans and beaches around the world. However, there is a lack of research into what a healthy turtle looks like, which makes it difficult to diagnose and treat sick turtles.

That’s why JCU is on a quest to “fill the empty pages in the book on turtle health”, according to lead researcher, Dr Ellen Ariel.

JCU has a world-first turtle health research facility called the “Caraplace”, which provides a controlled environment that allows scientists to observe sea turtles in near natural conditions, which wouldn’t be possible in the wild.

You can support this vital research by making a donation to JCU.