The Nanum Wungthim Land and Sea Rangers are based in Napranum on the west coast of Cape York. The rangers spend the majority of their time at the Pennefather River and Beach due to the high conservation value of the area. They also regularly patrol east to Billys Lagoon and south to an area known as Twenty Mile.
The rangers patrol coastal areas to remove ghost nets and debris and monitor the significant populations of turtles which include the vulnerable flatback and hawksbill and the endangered olive ridley. The rangers also monitor water quality and sea grass populations in estuaries and mangroves. Inland in the eucalyptus forests the rangers’ work together controlling weeds. The women rangers have a special role in mapping and maintaining significant women’s cultural heritage sites.
The ranger’s also host an annual marine studies group at Pennefather, where students from the Western Cape College focus on learning about marine debris, nesting turtles and ghost nets. The Nanum Wungthim Rangers are one of the founding member groups of the Western Cape Turtle Threat Abatement Alliance, playing a key role in reducing threats to vulnerable and endangered marine turtles nesting on the west coast of Cape York Peninsula.