A Tauranga local has captured stunning close-up images of five rare leatherback turtles in the waters close to Mount Maunganui this week.

Nathan Pettigrew, an avid wildlife photographer and naturalist, shared the images with the Department of Conservation (DoC) to help build understanding of the distribution and behaviour of the turtles in New Zealand waters.

Pettigrew said he’d seen leatherbacks every year for the past six, but this time was different.

“I was on the water when Dolphin Seafaris gave me a call and said, ‘You’ve got to come see this.’ I shot back closer to shore – just 1.5km or so from land. It was incredible, there were five leatherbacks and sunfish too, with Mount Manganui in the background. I’ve never seen so many leatherback turtles in one place at a time.”

DoC senior marine science adviser Dr Karen Middlemiss said it’s remarkable and very exciting to learn of sightings like these.

“It’s almost unheard of to see five leatherbacks together because they’re generally solitary turtles. They usually only group together if there is a feeding aggregation or they are close to nesting beaches, and these turtles don’t nest here,” Middlemiss said.

“Leatherbacks are the largest turtle in the world, and can grow to a width, length and weight similar to a classic Mini car.

“We’re hoping to satellite tag some of these magnificent turtles to learn how they use our waters. One thing is for sure, New Zealand waters provide critical foraging habitat for leatherbacks.”

The leatherback turtles in New Zealand waters belong to the critically endangered Western Pacific population. Each summer, part of the population migrates from California to the islands north of New Zealand, with some visiting the Bay of Plenty and waters off East Cape, where they feast on jellyfish and salps (a jelly-like zooplankton).

Little is known about leatherback behaviour in New Zealand waters, and Middlemiss said images and videos of sea turtles, with time, date and location details, are useful for researchers.

“Nathan is a great example of using hobbies – in this case, water sport and photography – to support nature. Taking everyday actions, like reporting sightings of protected marine species, is true naturing. And with Seaweek starting, what better time to enjoy the water!”

Seaweek, New Zealand’s annual celebration of the sea, is from February 28 to March 6.

Spot a turtle? Let us know! Email [email protected] for sightings. If a turtle is seen on the beach or injured in the water, please contact our emergency hotline 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468).

– Content supplied by DoC