Published 02 September 2025
This time of the year, endangered marine turtle hatchlings come down the Leeuwin current from the areas around Shark Bay and Ningaloo Marine Park. This warmish current is like a travelator for them and also keeps them warm.
During the winter storms here in the South West, however, they can get pushed out of their cosy current and end up in cold temperate water, within which they struggle to cope. Dehydrated, cold and hungry, some of the hatchlings can wash up on the coastline between Perth and Esperance, especially around the Greater Bunbury Region and the Cape Naturaliste.
They are often found in or around washed-up seagrass or seaweed. If you walk a dog on the beach and it keeps digging in the seaweed, it may be worth checking if there is a baby turtle somewhere.
The window for them to be found and rescued is small, so the Dolphin Discovery Centre team asks all Bunbury beachgoers to keep an eye out for them, and if found, please don’t put them back in the sea as they will not survive.
To improve the chance of survival for the creatures, Marketing & Media Manager of the Dolphin Discovery Centre, Axel Grossman, recommends keeping the turtle safe from predators, and to, “place it on a towel or jumper, rinse it with some fresh water and leave it uncovered.” Immediately call the Dolphin Discovery Centre (9791 3088), or Wildcare Helpline (9474 9055) to arrange rescue. Once in suitable care, the turtles will slowly be warmed up and rehydrated in a Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre.
