The flatback turtle, Natator depressus, is an endangered species that nests on northern Australian beaches.
Fig. 1.1 shows a flatback turtle.

Fig. 1.1
Each female lays approximately 50 eggs per nest, which is a smaller number than all other species of marine turtle. The eggs are buried in the sand and when the hatchlings emerge each has a mass of approximately 43 g . Unlike most marine turtles, flatback turtles spend most of their time in coastal waters. This is where they feed and mate.
Fig. 1.2 shows the numbers of female flatback turtles nesting on a beach in northern Australia between 1993 and 2002.
number of female turtles nesting

Fig. 1.2
Suggest ways in which the flatback turtle could be protected.











