Photo: The Nature Conservancy
As Cyclone Gabrielle bore down on New Zealand, two would-be visitors to the south Pacific were forced to make an emergency detour.
The leatherback turtles' journey was being monitored via satellite and the pair - Solo and Lady Maga - were seen to make an easterly turn to ride out the storm.
Solo is now by herself and headed for South Australia while Lady Maga has made it 4000km from her nesting ground in Solomon Islands to be 150km off the coast of New Zealand.
Leatherbacks are critically endangered in the Western Pacific, and the nesting grounds are monitored and protected by The Nature Conservancy.
The organisation's acting Solomon Islands Programme Director is Peter Waldie joins Kathryn to talk about efforts to protect the leatherback.
