Mission

The Cook Islands Turtle Project will establish and conduct a series of ongoing research programmes with associated activity through to Nov 2012 in order to build a knowledge base of Sea Turtle behaviour for the Cook Islands, strengthen the institutional capacity to protect Sea Turtles and build community awareness of the need for conservation.

 

Personnel

Phil Bradshaw is the Turtle Project Scientist and Manager of the Cook Islands Turtle Project (CITP), a project of the Pacific Islands Conservation Initiative (PICI). Phil is responsible for the program management of CITP as well as investigating the status and distribution of sea turtle populations within the Southern Group.

Phil holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Management and completed a Master of Science degree in Conservation and Biodiversity through the Exeter University in England in 2011.

He has worked in sea turtle conservation for the past ten years with four species of turtle in three different countries. During this time Phil has managed the two most important nesting beaches in the Mediterranean and was responsible for data collection, volunteer management and public awareness.

 

 

Research programmes and reports

2010 Annual report. The report is available in PDF format here.

An underwater assessment of sea turtles in Rarotonga’s nearshore waters. This study recorded sightings information from dive operators in Rarotonga to catalogue sea turtle presence and give insight into behavioural characteristics. The report is available in PDF format here.

Palmerston Survey. Supported by a small grant from the Rufford Foundation. A 4 week survey (Apr 2012) to assess sea turtle nesting and ecology at the atoll.

Mauke Survey. Self funded project, week long survery assessing nesting suitability of beaches and reproductive success of past nests. The report is available in PDF format here.

Aitutaki Survey. 11 week survey to study the distribution, abundance and population status of turtles on Aitutaki and Manuae.