Shells & Stories is our Turtle ID Project, using the unique scale patterns (facial scutes) on a turtle’s face to identify individuals over time — much like a fingerprint. By matching photos from different sightings, we can track where turtles move, how often they’re seen, and how they use the Whitsundays and surrounding reef systems. Contributors can follow the journeys of turtles they’ve sighted, and if a turtle hasn’t been recorded before, may be invited to help name it.