University Lecturer Advocates For South Australian Chelonians Regarding The Frightening Declining Trend
Southern Australia is home to a myriad of fascinating turtle species, including a large variety of Chelodina, Emydura, and Elseya. Unfortunately, most of these species are drastically declining for multiple reasons. That is the reason why biology lecturer James Van Dyke gave his presentation at the Wonga Wetlands just this past Friday. A lecturer at Charles Sturt University, he attracted a large group of local residents to hear about the problems and possible solutions to the diminishing population of their country’s chelonians. He stated that predation as well as motorist accidents are just a few of the threats that these turtles are facing today. Because of these circumstances, the reproductive population is not able to replenish the animals that die off. Various methods of controlling the issues were discussed, including fox trapping and a headstarting program for the turtles. Since predation contributes to 95% of egg fatalities, this was a major topic of discussion during the talk. Van Dyke also urged the audience to collect data on the animals and nests which they observe, as this will lead to valuable information regarding areas of top conservation priority.
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Photo from Sophia Boyd.
