Tag: snake-necked turtle

Southwestern Snake-necked Turtles

Southwestern snake-necked turtles (Chelodina oblonga) are also commonly known as Oblong or Long-Necked Turtles. ​The Noongar names for these turtles are Yaakan and Booyi, which translate to long-necked turtle.

Saving our Snake-necked Turtle Project

Each year, many turtles are killed by foxes and vehicles when they leave the water to find a nesting spot, and their nests can be destroyed by foxes, birds, dogs and cats. Turtle numbers in the Yellagonga Regional Park wetlands are declining, with very few hatchlings making it back to the lake each year.

To help our turtles in the Yellagonga wetlands, the City has joined the Saving our Snake-necked Turtle Project.

The program includes:

  • In Spring, during the nesting season, a team of trained ‘Turtle Tracker’ volunteers patrol the Yellagonga wetlands and protect female turtles while the turtles are on their journey out of the water to find the perfect nesting spot. The Turtle Trackers also protect the nests to prevent them being destroyed by predators such as birds and foxes.
  • Promoting the TurtleSAT app and TurtleSAT website – community members can use these to record turtle and nest sightings. This information is used to monitor turtle populations throughout the park.

What to do if you see a turtle

If you see a turtle out of the water, it is probably a female turtle nesting. Contact the Turtle Tracker team:

This project is run in partnership with the City of Wanneroo and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA), in collaboration with Murdoch University and the South West Group, funded by Lotterywest.

Further information on the project is available on the Saving our Snake-necked Turtles (SOSNT) website.

Dr Anthony Santoro and the Saving our snake-necked turtle project

Dr Anthony Santoro, Murdoch University turtle ecologist

What you can do to help turtles

  • If you see a turtle out of the water, or if a turtle is nesting on your property, contact the Turtle Tracker team via:
    • the Woodvale Waters Friends of Beenyup Swamp – 0412 400 874, or the Friends of Yellagonga (via Facebook messenger).
      These volunteer groups are both a part of the Turtle Tracker team and will be able to send down a trained Turtle Tracker volunteer who can come and protect the turtle and the nest. Turtle Trackers are a local group of trained volunteers who patrol the wetlands over Spring when turtles are nesting, to help keep turtles safe and to protect their nests.
  • If you see a turtle, assist them in the direction they are heading and protect them from predators and vehicles. But keep your distance – if scared, a turtle may abandon nesting and return to the water.
  • Get involved in the Turtle Tracker program by joining the Friends of Yellagonga or Woodvale Waters Friends of Beenyup Channel volunteer groups.
  • Look out for turtles on the roads and paths surrounding wetlands, particularly during rainy days in the nesting season in Spring (September – November) and hatching season in Spring and Autumn. Turtles and hatchlings can be hard to see, particularly on roads.
  • If you find an injured turtle, call Native Animal Rescue Hospital in Malaga and they can provide advice on what to do.
  • Use the TurtleSAT app, or use the TurtleSAT website, to record any turtles or nests that you see. This data will help the City understand our local turtle populations and help us to monitor and protect the turtles in the future.
  • Keep your dog on a leash and away from turtles and nests.
  • Report fox sightings to the City and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Regional Parks Unit 9442 0300.
  • Report turtle poaching to the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attraction Wildlife Branch through the Wildcare Helpline on 9474 9055 or Wildlife Watch 1800 449 453.

Southwestern Snake-necked Turtles

Appearance

The Southwestern snake-necked turtle gets its name from its appearance as it has a long, snake-like neck that folds in sideways, and an oblong shell (carapace). The colour of the shell generally ranges from dark brown to black, while the underside of the shell (plastron) is usually a pale white/yellow. These turtles have webbed feet with four claws.

Males are generally smaller than females. They have longer tails and slightly more curved plastrons (bottom side of the shell) than females.

The neck is almost as long as its shell and its full length can reach about 50cm. Hatchlings are very small, with a shell (carapace) length of around 3cm.

Turtle hatchling

Turtle hatchling

Habitat and distribution

These turtles are commonly found in the waterways of the Perth metropolitan area. They can be found throughout the southwest of WA, extending north to Hill River (approximately 300km north of Perth) and south to the Fitzgerald River National Park. For further information visit the Department of Water and Environmental Regulations website.
You can find these turtles in freshwater wetlands, rivers, lakes, and swamps – as long as there is enough habitat, food and good water quality. These turtles shelter underground in burrows, thick leaf litter, and under logs in wetlands.
Adults generally spend their whole life in the water, venturing out onto land only to lay eggs in Spring.

Southwestern snake-necked turtles are aquatic predators and feed on aquatic invertebrates, tadpoles, frogs, fish and even small birds. Having a predator in the area is a sign the ecosystem is working well, and the environment boasts growing levels of biodiversity. For further information, visit Rewild Perth website.

In the City of Joondalup, these turtles are found in many of our wetlands, with the main population calling Yellagonga Regional Park wetlands home.

Behaviour and nesting

These special creatures spend their lives in the water, coming out onto land only to nest in Spring. The eggs stay in the burrow over summer, and the hatchlings emerge one by one and start their journey to the water in Autumn.

Turtles choose their nesting locations carefully, to keep their eggs safe over summer. Most female turtles travel around 100m to find a suitable nest location, but some will travel further to find the perfect spot. This often means turtles will cross over roads, bike paths, footpaths, and open grassed parks and ovals to reach their ideal nesting location. Along the way, they are under threat from birds, vehicles, domestic pets, and feral animals such as foxes.

Often female turtles can be killed while nesting, and the nests can be destroyed by native animals, such as ravens, and feral and domestic animals, such as foxes, cats, and dogs. Because of this, very few hatchlings survive each year, and turtle numbers are declining.

Threats

Turtles face numerous threats and their numbers are declining.

The City is working collaboratively with a range of partners to help understand these turtles and safeguard their survival in our wetlands. Some of the key threats to Southwestern snake-necked turtle populations include:

  • Habitat loss through native vegetation clearing.
  • Habitat modification:
    • a lot of the area around wetlands has been cleared for grassed parkland or residential properties, so turtles often must travel over open lawn areas to find nesting locations. These open and lawned areas provide very little vegetation cover and provide no protection from predators such as birds;
    • Due to the urbanisation of the catchment, turtles are forced to nest in areas where the nests may be damaged, such as on private property, in road median strips or verges, or areas likely to be trampled by pedestrians or cars;
    • Fences, roads, curbs, paths and road drains can block or trap turtles and their hatchlings on their journey to and from the wetland.
  • Poor water quality.
  • Traffic impacts from vehicles, bikes and pedestrians, resulting in mortality.
  • Predation by:
    • feral animals, in particular foxes and feral cats;
    • pets, where dogs are off-leash and cats are not kept indoors;
    • native fauna, such as ravens and magpies.
  • Pest fish species reducing water quality.
  • Drying climate, as female turtles tend not to reproduce as frequently in dry conditions

You can learn more about these threats in the City’s brochure.

Turtle conservation

The City conserves turtles by:

  • Controlling fox numbers in and around turtle nesting areas in conjunction with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions and the City of Wanneroo.
  • Joining the Saving our Snake-necked Turtle Project and implementing the Turtle Trackers program to help protect turtle nests at Lake Joondalup.
  • Installing temporary and permanent signs – ‘turtles on the move’, ‘keep dogs on-leash’ and ‘slow down for turtles’.
  • Working with volunteers to maintain nesting sites at Yellagonga Regional Park wetlands.
  • Implementing the Yellagonga Integrated Catchment Management Plan with the City of Wanneroo.
  • Undertaking a long-term water quality monitoring program in collaboration with Edith Cowan University, to ensure good water quality.
  • Undertaking revegetation and habitat creation projects in partnership with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, City of Wanneroo, local schools and community groups.
  • Implementing a range of greening and biodiversity gardening initiatives.

Installing signs

Installing turtle information signs at Lake Joondalup

Turtles on the move

The City’s Natural Areas team have been busy installing turtle signs around Lake Joondalup, as a part of the Saving our Snake-necked Turtle Program. The signs provide guidance on how you can help if you see turtles and how you can assist to monitor their populations.

Southwestern snake-necked turtles (known to Noongar people as ‘Booyi’) are likely to be out and about in spring, looking for a spot to dig a nest and lay their eggs. They usually choose nesting sites within 100m of their wetland and prefer to nest during rainy weather, which means they can be difficult to see on roads and bike paths.

You can take the following actions to help the turtles:

  • If turtles need help, assist them in the direction they are heading.
  • If you find an injured turtle, call the WA Wildlife Hospital on 9417 7105 and they can provide advice.
  • Drive and ride slowly around wetlands, especially during rainy weather in Spring when the turtles may be crossing roads or paths to look for nesting sites.
  • Keep your dog on a leash and away from turtles and nests.
  • Protect turtles from predators, such as ravens, dogs and cats.
  • Download and use the TurtleSAT app, or use the website, to record turtle observations. This data will help the City understand our local turtle populations and help us to monitor and protect the turtles in the future.

This project is run in partnership with the City of Wanneroo and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Murdoch University and the South West Group.

Further information about the project can be found on the City’s website.