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Early risers help protect vulnerable turtle
The survival of a river turtle 'discovered' in the Fitzroy Basin in 1980 is at risk.
The vulnerable Fitzroy River turtle is only found in the Fitzroy Basin. It can protect itself from crocodiles by staying submerged for a week, but it's now struggling against more insidious threats.
Water quality and flow are declining, nesting sites on banks are being invaded by weeds and grazed and trampled by stock, and in some places around 90 per cent of nests are falling prey to feral and native animals.
The turtle's plight has spawned the Fitzroy River Turtle Conservation Project. Headed by Greening Australia Queensland, its aim is to mobilise public awareness and effort to conserve the turtle.
Funding
The Australian Government has put $76,000 towards this project through the Fitzroy Basin Association (FBA) and provided further funding of nearly $11,000 in 2006. Support is being provided by the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency which is undertaking scientific research on the turtle.
Activities
One of the project's major practical steps has been to protect the nests.
"We had a great response from volunteers for the September to November nesting season that's just passed," said project coordinator Lesley Hale from Greening Australia. "I didn't have to recruit. They just came to me, which I think reflects the success of our public education efforts.
"We go out at dawn seeking turtle tracks. So you have to be really keen. We follow the tracks back to the eggs where we put a plastic trellis over the nest. The trellis holes are large enough for hatchlings to leave, but small enough to keep out predators."
Another practical effort has involved weeding river banks to clear potential turtle nesting sites. Farmers are also being encouraged to allow the project to set up permanent fence posts around nesting banks for temporary electric tape fencing to keep cattle off the area in nesting seasons.
The project has focussed on an intensive local education campaign to make school children, landholders and leisure seekers more aware of how to protect the turtle and the community is being encouraged to report turtle sightings.
Achievements
It may still be too early to determine just how successeful the project will be in the long term. But Lesley sees the participation of volunteers and landholders and the growing involvement of community and regional organisations as positive.
More information
- Lesley Hale, Greening Australia: (07) 4923 7542
- Fitzroy Basin Association: (07) 4999 2800
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