1. Partnership Approach to Freshwater Turtle Conservation in Northern Victoria
Intro to yourself and the North Central CMA
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2. Turtles in trouble One of the most threatened groups of vertebrates
10% of the ca. 317 currently recognised species considered critically endangered
63% of assessed species and ca. 42% of all known species considered threatened
Turtles are disproportionately represented among threated vertebrate species require conservation action at the landscape scale (Boyd et al 2008 but often fall outside traditional conservation priority regions.
Exploitation and unregulated trade are the primary caused for sharp declines in many species especially those in Asia with habitat loss and degradation also being major factors in widespread declines (van Dijk et al. 200, Gibbon et al. Turtle Conservation fund).
Turtle Conservation fund 2002; IUCN 2008
IUCN 2008
Habitat degradation
Food
Pet trade
Foreign predators
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3. BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA | 18 - 20 SEPTEMBER 2017 MANAGED BY
Local region intro
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4. River Murray 16 weirs / dams
Regulators installed to prevent floodplain inundation
Reversed water flows
Water extraction for irrigation and domestic use
Introduced aquatic and terrestrial species
Challenges to turtles
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5. The three amigos! BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA | 18 - 20 SEPTEMBER 2017
Challenges to turtles
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6. Threats to River Murray turtles
Fox is the focus with smaller images of other threats
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7. River Murray turtle declines predicted 1993
86% decline predicted since the introduction of red foxes
Prediction based on:
High, ongoing levels of nest predation
Low juvenile recruitment
Demographic shifts to adult biased populations
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8. Turtle declines detected throughout Murray - Van Dyke et al. 2017
Heading to extinction in SA
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9. Implications of declines
Eutrophication
Food web disruption
Water quality
Seed dispersal
Limited ability for turtles to recover due to life history traits
Possible local extinctions
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10. Typical Survival, Growth and Reproduction Patterns
20-30 eggs per year
Eggs/
Hatchlings
Juveniles
Adults
Currently <1% of eggs and hatchlings make it to year 2
60% of juveniles survive each year. Mature at 7-10 years of age
85-100% of adults survive each year
95% nest predation because of foxes
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11. What did the fox say? BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA | 18 - 20 SEPTEMBER 2017
With funding provided through the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme the North Central CMA partnered with Western Sydney University to implement a range of trials to reduce the predation of turtles and their nests by foxes. Establishing fake nests using chicken and quail eggs to simulate turtle nests we have trialled the use of alternate techniques including fox lights, odour distraction, taste aversion and targeted shooting
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA | SEPTEMBER 2017
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12. Conservation through awareness and involvement
With funding provided through the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme the North Central CMA partnered with Western Sydney University to implement a range of trials to reduce the predation of turtles and their nests by foxes. Establishing fake nests using chicken and quail eggs to simulate turtle nests we have trialled the use of alternate techniques including fox lights, odour distraction, taste aversion and targeted shooting
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA | SEPTEMBER 2017
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13. Landholders shout out. Volunteers pitch in!
Twice a year during nesting season dedicated volunteers from Turtles Australia Inc. travel to and reside in the Gunbower forest region and traverse known nesting areas searching for turtle activity. All turtle activity is recorded - fox raided nests, sightings of live and dead turtles and uploaded into TurtleSat. Many close relationships have formed between volunteers and local landholders and each year there are increasing reports from landholders witnessing nesting females on their properties seeking advice on what to do.
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14. Nest protection. Every one counts
In the five years that Turtles Australia have been performing monitoring they have protected approximately 52 lives nests. With an average of 17 eggs per nest that’s 884 hatchlings saved from fox predation.
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15. Observations and records
403 turtle sightings (majority dead) and 1829 nests (mostly raided) have been recorded into TurtleSat
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16. www.turtlesat.org.au BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA | 18 - 20 SEPTEMBER 2017
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17. Events and education BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA | 18 - 20 SEPTEMBER 2017
Engaging community at over 30 events and attended including visits to schools. People love turtles and are ambassadors for change. Estimated 30,000 kms travelled to undertake monitoring and conduct events.
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18. BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA | 18 - 20 SEPTEMBER 2017
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