One in a Thousand documentary to screen in Cairns
A documentary which showcases the work of western Cape York’s Indigenous rangers who work to conserve threatened sea turtle populations will screen in Cairns on Wednesday 29 November.
Funded by the Australian and Queensland Government’s Nest to Ocean Turtle Protection Program, One in a Thousand – Western Cape York Rangers uniting to save sea turtles was made to promote the work of Indigenous rangers involved in the Western Cape Turtle Threat Abatement Alliance (WCTTAA).
Rangers from Northern Peninsula Area/ Apudthama, Mapoon, Nanum Wungthim (Napranum), Pormpuraaw, and Kowanyama make up the Alliance, which formed in 2013 with the support of Cape York Natural Resource Management, to work together for the protection of marine turtles along the west coast of Cape York.
The documentary was produced to showcase their work - which involves the regional coordination of marine turtle work programs, training, data collection and analysis, and communication activities – to their communities and to the broader public.
Chair of WCTTAA, Robbie Morris from Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire Council, said that the end of 2017 will mark four full years of dedicated efforts by WCTTAA members to control feral pigs, and to protect and monitor turtles nesting along the coast of western Cape York. “Western Cape York provides internationally significant nesting habitat for the vulnerable Flatback and endangered Olive Ridley and Hawksbill turtles” Mr Morris said.
“The film’s title One in a Thousand refers to the estimated number of hatchlings that make it through to adulthood.
“The main threat faced by turtles nesting on the western Cape has been the predation of the turtle eggs by feral pigs, wild dogs and goannas. Aerial pig culling has constituted a major part of the Ranger’s work in protecting marine turtle nests over the last few years to address this issue.