While known chiefly for their eye-catchingly long necks, south-western snake-necked turtles provide another unique function: they are the cleaners of their freshwater ecosystems.
Key points:
- Tracking of nesting south-western snake-necked turtles is underway in South West WA
- Experts are encouraging more community members to get involved
- The data will be used to help find ways to protect the species
The reptiles are endemic to Western Australia’s South West, and ecologist Antony Santoro said they provided plenty of lesser-known benefits for the region’s inhabitants.
“In the South West at least, they’re the top predator,” he said.
“So, they kind of control a lot of what we consider pest populations. They eat bugs … the midges and stuff like that. They also will eat dead things.
“They are … cleaners of the ecosystem.”
But a combination of growing urbanisation, invasive threats, feral and domestic animals leave them vulnerable to injury and predation.
“Historically, there would have been a lot of dark soil, a lot of kind of undergrowth, small plants, things that the turtles would use to hide in camouflage as they’re trying to find their nests,” Mr Santoro said.
“But now, we’ve generally replaced all of that with bright green lawns that are really open … paving and car parks … [and] birds sitting in the trees can just see the turtles for miles and just take them out.”
Foxes, ravens and even dogs can pose a risk to the health of the turtle’s population.
Volunteer turtle trackers
Mr Santoro is now seeking more volunteers to track and record the species, in a bid to help improve their protection and better understand their location and overall numbers.
Building on a program launched in Bunbury last year, the TurtleSAT app can be used by residents to record when and where a reptile is discovered, with the program now expanded to the Shire of Augusta Margaret River.
Once the nesting season ends in January, the data will help inform a report and provide solutions on how to better care for snake-necked turtles in the region.
Turtle tracker Rachel Allan is one of 30 other enthusiasts working to improve the management of the species.
“It’s just a super easy activity to do — a lot of people walk around the swamp, so you can be recording things as you walk,” she said.
Users can also take part in a training program that allows them to become qualified to cover nests with a plastic mesh to prevent female eggs being destroyed by predators.
“If they’ve been trained up by me or our program, we’ve got a little nest protector that they’re allowed to put on it, which then prevents foxes and things, ravens … destroying those nests,” Mr Santoro said.
“The nesting season is when they’re most vulnerable and that’s where the issue is. So that’s why we try to get people out … so they can attempt to shoe off the ravens or potentially help them cross roads.”