Gruesome sight in Aussie park highlights ‘devastation' caused by invasive killer
A dead southwestern snake-necked turtle was found in the Beeliar Wetlands, with only the skeletal remains of its head and neck left dangling from its shell. The turtle is one of 436 that were found dead in the area over a 20-month period.
The native reptiles are being preyed upon by foxes, an invasive species whose numbers have exploded since their introduction by Europeans in the 1860s.
Dr Felicity Bairstow, a coordinator for the Walliabup Wildlife Warriors, fears the turtles face local extinction if immediate action isn't taken. She said there are two major areas that need urgent attention: fox control and water supplementation.
In April last year, dry conditions led to Bibra Lake – one of the 26 lakes inside the park – drying out so much the foxes were able to access the lake bed and dig up the turtles. The reptiles hide under the mud in periods of low water levels.
Felicity labelled it a "massacre", with an estimated 20 per cent of the turtles' population killed over the course of two days.
"It was devastating," she said. "And it was even more devastating, because we thought, 'Wow, something has to be done about this'. And we contacted all the authorities, and we felt like we got a pat on the head that said, 'There, there, never mind, turtle people'. And it just makes me sick in the stomach, honestly, to think that that happened."
Fox management program about to launch in wetlands
Adin Lang, chair of the Perth South West Metropolitan Alliance [PSWMA] and councillor for the City of Fremantle, said while it's difficult to know the exact number of foxes in Perth, it's "very safe to say that the population is enough to be having a significant impact on the population of our turtles".
Six councils joined forces to form the alliance in an effort to tackle the problematic predators together. Those LGAs include Rockingham, Cockburn, Kwinana, Fremantle, East Fremantle and Melville.
Under the program, six cameras will be installed around Bibra Lake and surrounding areas to monitor fox activity, which will then be followed by trapping.
With foxes moving between council zones, Lang said having a combined approach to fox management was essential.
"There's an assumption that foxes live in an area, like on one street block or live next to one lake and therefore, it is a responsibility of that local government," he said. "And what we've found is that they're moving between local governments, and that's why the need for the coordinated program is there because it's not their foxes — it's everyone's foxes."
While Felicity and her team feel the new program is a step in the right direction, she said it's still "way less and much slower than we would like".
"We haven't been briefed on what this program's going to be, apart from putting cameras out to monitor the presence of foxes – which we've been doing for the last 18 months ourselves for nothing – and providing the city of Cockburn with that information. So that is a little frustrating because we feel what is needed is actual on-ground fox control," she said.
Council increases budget for fox control and turtle conservation
The City of Cockburn told Yahoo they have more than doubled their budget for fox control this financial year, jumping from $20,000 to $50,000.
"The combined budget allocation for all turtle conservation initiatives has increased from $150,000 to $220,000," City of Cockburn Service Manager Sustainability Rory Garven said.
"The $70,000 increase is attributed to the increase to the fox control budget and a $40,000 contribution towards the Perth South West Metropolitan Alliance's Fox Monitoring and Targeted Control Project."
As of May 2024, 24 foxes have been removed from the wetlands. A "final control activity" that was meant to take place in June was delayed due to poor weather, but once complete, it will provide more information for an updated report.
Mr Garven said the six cameras will be installed in the wetlands this month.
"The City has chosen four locations and is in consultation with local volunteers to determine the best location for the final two cameras," he said.
"Installation will occur once the locations have been confirmed. It is anticipated that the cameras will be installed this month."
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