AUSTRALIAN BIODIVERSITY RECORD - Calodema

Australian Biodiversity Record, 2007 (7): 1-90reproductive females may return to their nesting beaches from 1-9 years later. Maturity isreached very slowly, in some individuals as early as 9 years, usually around 30 years, but inothers it takes nearly 50 years before they may breed. Adults are principally herbivorousfeeding largely on sea grasses, and sometimes jellyfish and algae. On occasions food itemscan include mangrove, fish egg-cases, and sponges. Adults usually remain in fairly smallareas while foraging. Hatchlings and pre-sub-adult specimens are carnivorous, feeding onfish and other available pelagic marine life.Toxicity: Although this species has long provided a food source for humans, its products arenevertheless still potentially hazardous. The meat, adipose tissue, organs, blood, and eggs ofsea turtles are still consumed by humans in various parts of the world (including traditionalhunters in northern Australia and the south pacific). Despite its products being probably theleast toxic of all the sea turtles if properly prepared, it is known that deleterious healthconsequences may also result from their consumption. Among the identified health hazards ofsea turtle products are bacterial and parasitic infections which have led to extreme illness oreven death by organ damage, diarrhoea, vomiting, and extreme dehydration. A range ofidentified biotoxins and environmental contaminants such as heavy metals andorganochlorine compounds, have also been detected that are above WHO safety levels.Consuming contaminated sea turtle products may lead to neurotoxicity, kidney disease, livercancer, and developmental effects in fetuses and children. Pregnant women, nursing mothersand children should be discouraged from consuming all sea turtle products. (see Aguirre,Gardner, Marsh, Delgado, Limpus and Nichols 2006 for a very important review of thishazard).Survival Status: Internationally, this species is classified as Endangered on the IUCN RedList. Within Australia, its survival status ranges from Vulnerable to Endangered. Federally, thistaxon is classified as Vulnerable under the Environmental Protection and BiodiversityConservation Act (1999) (listed as Chelonia mydas). Protected under the New South WalesNational Parks and Wildlife Act (1974) and listed in that State as a Threatened Species(Vulnerable) in Schedule 2 of the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act (1995).Protected under the WA Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 (as amended) (listed as ‘rare or likelyto become extinct’), the Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act (1998) and the QldNature Conservation Act (1992) (Vulnerable). It is also protected under the SA National Parksand Wildlife Act (1972) (Vulnerable), and the Tasmanian National Parks and Wildlife Act(1970) (Vulnerable). It is also technically protected under the Victorian Wildlife Act (1975) butnot listed as threatened in Schedule 2 of the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act (1988)[however, I consider that it should be treated as an Endangered species in Victoria]. The mostcommercially hunted of all turtles, this species has been exploited by mankind for centuriesand as a consequence, has been extirpated across much of its former range. Although widelyrecognised as being under threat of extinction through over-exploitation, some countries arestill rapidly wiping out stocks of this migratory turtle, resulting in depletions thousands ofkilometres away from areas where they are fully protected. It is now threatened with extinctionover much of its global range mainly through egg-poaching, illegal hunting and accidentalmortality due to human activities. Countless numbers are accidentally drowned in fishingoperations, entanglements with marine debris or poisoned through pollution. Populationshave crashed everywhere, and in one area of its range in the Atlantic a population believed tobe over 10 million in historical times now numbers less than 30,000, and similar trends couldbe expected for the Pacific as well. In many parts of its range, this species has also beenseverly infected with a debilitating illness (Fibropapillomatosis) which is apparently caused bya virus.Etymology: Chelonia is from the Greek ‘chelone’ the name for ‘tortoise’. The meaning of thename 'mydas' is thought to be from the Greek ‘mydos’ meaning ‘wetness or dampness’presumably in reference to its habitat. The name 'japonica' refers to the original location forthe taxon - off Japan, in the North Pacific Ocean. The name ‘agassizi’ honours the 19thcentury naturalist and scientist Louis Agassiz (1807-1873).Genus: Eretmochelys Fitzinger, 18438