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Concerns have been raised over the discovery of sick and dying turtles in the Townsville area in north Queensland.
Residents and researchers are worried after 10 turtles appeared in shallow waters and were ill and listless and covered in algae.
Magnetic Island resident Barbara Gibbs says she found the sick turtles and reported it to the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM), but says no action was taken.
"It just leaves me despondent I guess - it seems we're going to lose a whole generation of turtles," she said.
The Sea Turtle Foundation has also confirmed several sightings of sick and listless turtles around the Townsville area.
James Cook University virologist Dr Ellen Ariel says scientists should be taking samples from the turtles now.
"Once they strand they're often so decomposed that we can't get any meaningful data from them," she said.
"We should be out there in the live population that's obviously undergoing some distress".
Today, DERM says it believes Cyclone Yasi has caused serious health problems for the local turtle population.
The acting manager of Marine Queensland Parks and Wildlife, Richard Quincey, says the Department will start a testing program from today.
"Our prediction is that it is related to the Cyclone Yasi event and the flooding event and the extensive wet season that we've seen," he said.
"It does have an impact on seagrass meadows, in particular from the loss of light."
Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/06/22/3250137.htm
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