Species · GBIF taxon 2442173
Flatback
Natator depressusAlso known as Australian Flatback, Flatback Turtle, Flatback Sea Turtle
Flatback sea turtles are unique among sea turtles for their exceptionally flat, smooth carapaces with upturned edges. They spend their entire lives in the shallow, turbid coastal waters of the Australian continental shelf, never venturing into the deep open ocean. Females return to the same tropical Australian beaches where they hatched to lay clutches of unusually large eggs, producing robust hatchlings that are less vulnerable to small marine predators.
MarineEndemicReptile
Licensed referenceLyndie Malan / CC BY-SA 3.0 · CC BY-SA 3.0
- diet
- Omnivorous, feeding on soft-bodied prey like sea cucumbers, jellyfish, soft corals, and mollusks.
- family
- Cheloniidae
- threats
- Bycatch in fishing gear, marine debris, coastal development, feral predators eating eggs, and climate change.
- life Span
- 50 to 80 years
DD
Capable of a painful bite if handled; observe nesting females quietly from a respectful distance.
Protected under Australian law due to threats from habitat loss, feral predators, and marine pollution.
Never touch, ride, or obstruct a turtle on land or in the water, and report any injured individuals to local authorities.- Keep your distance: Stay at least fifteen meters away from nesting females to avoid disrupting their egg-laying process.
- Avoid artificial lights: Do not use flashlights or flash photography on nesting beaches, as light disorients hatchlings.
- Minimize movement: Sit quietly in the sand if a turtle approaches, allowing her to move undisturbed.