A little island making a big splash for freshwater turtles
A small island with an important job has found a home at Laratinga Wetlands!
In collaboration with Mount Barker District Council, we recently built and installed the first turtle island at Laratinga Wetlands, providing freshwater turtles with a safer place to nest while creating habitat for other wetland wildlife.
The island was built during a community workshop on a recent Saturday, where locals braved the rain to get hands-on alongside turtle conservation experts Professors Mike Thompson and Ricky Spencer.
With freshwater turtle populations declining, safe nesting habitat is increasingly important. The island aims to reduce the risk of nests being raided by foxes, giving turtle eggs a better chance of survival.
Cameras will monitor the island to see how turtles and other wildlife use the new habitat, helping inform future conservation efforts.
Participants also learned about TurtleSAT, a citizen science app that allows the community to record turtle sightings and contribute valuable information to turtle research. This data will help inform a turtle management plan for organisations and government agencies.
It's a great example of how community action, science and a little bit of teamwork can make a difference for our local wildlife. One island at a time!
The Turtle Island project is a joint initiative between Mount Barker District Council, Second Nature Conservancy, Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board’s TURTLE Project and the 1 Million Turtles Community Conservation Program.
The TURTLE Project is an initiative of the Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board with funding from the South Australian Government’s Landscape Priorities Fund.
