Calling on the community to save our snake-necked turtles

Lake Claremont is home to a near-threatened species of Snake Necked Turtle, the Oblonga Turtle. This wetland dwelling species is increasingly under threat as they leave their watery homes to look for places to lay their eggs.

The Town of Claremont has teamed up with Friends of Lake Claremont and Murdoch University’s Saving Our Snake Necked Turtle Project, to assist with tracking and nest protection through the Turtle Tracker initiative. This will see community members patrolling areas of Lake Claremont at allocated times and being trained in turtle observation skills and techniques to protect nests from predators.

Come along to an information night to find out more about turtles, the project and how you can help just by using an app. After the information night, you will have the opportunity to register your interest to become a Turtle Tracker volunteer to help assist with on ground monitoring for this project.

Mayor Jock Barker said we are fortunate to have Oblonga Turtles in our wetlands and need to do all we can to assist with their survival.

“The turtles can often nest farther away from Lake Claremont, so providing residents with the correct way to help identify and move them to the right locations is imperative for their survival.”

Murdoch University PhD candidate Anthony Santoro will be presenting the latest information about the status of the turtles in Western Australia and how you can help to protect them.

The free information night will be held on Thursday, 15 September at the Claremont Lawn Tennis Club from 6-7pm with some light refreshments provided.

Registrations are essential, please visit www.claremont.wa.gov.au/Community-and-Living/What-s-Happening/Turtle-Nesting-Talk to book your spot.