The green turtle, Chelonia Mydas, population of Raine Island and the northern Great Barrier Reef : 1843 -2001

European history of the use of Raine Island and nesting green turtles is reviewed. Results of a diverse mosaic of investigations of the reproductive biology of the nesting population of green turtles using Raine Island and the adjacent islands are presented. These studies have focused on defining the fimdamental characteristics of the breeding population, with more in-depth studies being conducted elsewhere. Studies at Raine Island have defined the species composition, morphology of adults, eggs and hatchlings, hatching and emergence success, sources of mortality of adults, eggs and hatchlings as well as the nesting environment.