The author related a story about the Yanyuwa Aboriginal people who live in the south-western part of the Gulf of Carpentaria, Northern Territory, Australia. According to Bradley, the older Yanyuwa believed that loggerhead turtles laid their eggs under water. In the story that I was told, the older traditional hunters of Torres Strait believe that loggerhead turtles laid their eggs under water on the reef. As a result of their long hunting tradition, they recognize and have specific names for green turtles, hawksbill turtles, flatback turtles and loggerhead turtles. Because the hunters also collect turtle eggs, they know that each of the three species does not nest on every island.
Green turtle nesting is the most widespread and occurs on most of the islands in the area.
Hawksbill turtles nest on many of the islands and flatback turtles nest on only a few. In contrast, loggerhead turtles are not known to nest on any islands in Torres Strait. The apparent contradiction between the traditional knowledge and scientific information suggests that one of the two is in error. Among other things, they know that four recognizable species live in the area. They know that marine turtles lay eggs on the beaches and the size of the eggs produced by each species.