Published on Thursday, 18 July 2024 at 11:45:59 AM
Results from a collaborative survey conducted on Little River are in, yielding hopeful results for the threatened South-western snake-necked turtle local population.
The survey, part of the Save Our Snake-Necked Turtles project, was funded by the Shire of Denmark in partnership with Murdoch University.
The one-day survey targeted a previously known habitat of the snake-necked turtle within the Little River system, a location selected due to a sighting of three turtles ten years ago.
In the past decade, no turtles have been sighted in the area, making the survey’s discovery of an adult male turtle exciting news.
Shire of Denmark Sustainability Officer Yvette Caruso said it was exciting to confirm a continued presence of the species in the area after many years of concern.
“We’re really pleased to see this positive survey result because even with the increased urbanisation in the area, combined with fluctuating water levels of the Wilson Inlet and varying salinity, it seems as though the local population of this threatened species is persevering,” Ms Caruso said.
“It’s a positive sign of the health of the river system’s biodiversity despite the challenges it faces.”
A citizen-science initiative also allowed participants to engage with the latest turtle research by contributing to the TurtleSAT app, a critical tool for informing future conservation strategies.
This project aligns with the community’s vision outlined in the Our Future 2033 Strategic Community Plan, particularly under the priority of Environmental Conservation and Protection, underscoring the commitment to safeguarding our natural reserves, national parks, coastline, flora and fauna.
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