Turtles are important as our garbage collectors, cleaning wetlands and rivers yet one in three Australian freshwater turtle species are threatened with extinction.
“It’s up to us to save Australian freshwater turtles because most of them occur nowhere else on Earth” said Dr Eric Nordberg from the University of New England.
The research published new methods to help survey and conserve turtles. Underwater baited video cameras were effective at identifying different turtle species in rivers of New South Wales, and electric fences are helping to protect turtle nests from being eaten by invasive foxes.
The research adds to our knowledge of turtle behaviour including underwater observations of turtle courting behaviour, including the first same sex romance in Australian freshwater turtles.
Researchers also tested the effect of temperature on nocturnal basking, and tracked movements of turtles between wetlands that dry and wet, in the Murray River.
“As we find out more information on freshwater turtles, we realise that they need more help than ever before” said Associate Professor Deb Bower from the University of New England.
Dr Bower is part of the team that published research collected by a special expert assessment panel to list threatened turtle species under legislation. Experts recommended that the threat listing increase for half the species they assessed showing the how important it is that we act now to save turtles.
But scientists are not the only people attempting to help turtles. The 1 Million turtles program has been recording conservation actions by citizen scientists.
“November is turtle month and everybody has the opportunity to contribute to turtle conservation” said Associate Professor Ricky Spencer from University of Western Sydney.
"Search for 1MillionTurtles.com and learn how to protect nests, record data on turtleSAT, and build turtle islands," Professor Spencer said.
“If you save an adult turtle who is about to be hit on the road, you also save all the future babies she will produce in her lifetime,” Professor James Van Dyke from La Trobe University said.
Read the piece in The Conversation here.
Read the research published in Austral Ecology here.
