People urged to keep eye out for turtle

Dan Godoy with Nebs, the juvenile green turtle that has gone off the grid since the storm. Photo/Supplied

Northlanders are being urged to keep an eye on the coastline for a juvenile green turtle called Nebs. Massey University PhD student Dan Godoy has been tracking the turtle but it went off the grid on July 8 during the recent storm while 7km from the Mimiwhangata marine reserve, north of Tutukaka.

The turtle is one of three green turtles being tracked by Mr Godoy and was released just south of Cape Brett in February last year. Since then, he's swum more than 2000km, going as far as the East Cape.

"This particular guy had remained around New Zealand's coast for most of the time and, in late June, returned to around the Poor Knights," Mr Godoy said.

"He may well be fine. The life expectancy of his transmitter is one year, so it's not an absolute definite that something has occurred to the animal."

The transmitter, fixed on to Nebs' shell with fibreglass and glue, is worth thousands of dollars. "It would also contain a lot of valuable data."

Mr Gody said indications that Nebs - or the transmitter - could wash up on the coast included another green turtle washing up in Teal Bay on July 13 - it later died due to illness - and the strong onshore swells during the storm.

"At this time of year, we frequently get [turtle] strandings in Northland. For the most part [though] storms don't bother them. A storm isn't a big threat [to turtles]."

In August 2011, Nebs was found sick on Karekare Beach in Auckland, having eaten a lot of plastic marine debris. He spent nearly two years at the rehabilitation centre at Kelly Tarlton's Sealife Aquarium in Auckland and, when released by Mr Godoy in 2013, weighed 14kg and was estimated to be about eight or nine years old, which is considered "quite young" for green turtles, who can have the same life span as a human. He could grow up to 1.2 metres long. .

Mr Godoy is researching the ecology and conservation of turtles as part of his PhD. "It's mainly to get a better understanding of these endangered species for better management in the future," he said.

Anyone finding Nebs, the transmitter or any other turtles should call the Department of Conservation on 0800362468.