Many Turtles Found in Australian Town

By Lily McCure

ABC Broken Hill

Topic: Animals

Over 500 turtles were found at Imperial Lakes Nature Park near Broken Hill.

In short:

A team from La Trobe University found more than 500 turtles at Imperial Lakes Nature Park in Broken Hill.

The turtles' home, the eastern lake, was almost dry in January, but rain and fundraising saved it.

What's next?

The researchers will collect more data to understand the turtle population and where they came from.

University students check turtle traps at Imperial Lakes Nature Park.

At Imperial Lakes, researchers are collecting valuable data on turtles.

Surprisingly, the turtle population is doing well.

The research team sets traps every morning and night.

PhD candidate Wesley Smith is studying freshwater turtles in far west NSW.

Mr Smith and his team want to know how turtles survive in a dry area and if artificial habitats help.

The team is researching turtles at Imperial Lakes and along the Murray-Darling Basin.

Imperial Lakes Nature Park is near Broken Hill in far west NSW.

Unexpected discovery

The research team came from Wodonga, Victoria, to collect data.

Over 500 turtles were found, including eastern long-necked, eastern short-necked, and broad-shelled turtles.

The turtles are released back into the lake after being measured and weighed.

Mr Smith is happy to find many short-necked turtles, which do not usually move over land.

The broad-shelled and long-necked turtles can move over land better.

Emma Kynaston is a Master's student on the research team.

Emma Kynaston was part of the team that travelled to Broken Hill.

Ms Kynaston studies eastern long-necked turtles in wastewater treatment plants.

Ms Kynaston did not expect to find many turtles.

I was expecting 100 or so … we got five times that.

Lake brought back from the brink

A dead turtle was found at Imperial Lakes Nature Park.

Landcare Broken Hill asked for help to buy water for the lake.

The lake was almost dry, but a crowdfunding campaign raised over $100,000.

The rain came in February, filling the lakes.

Now, the lakes are full, and there is a water fund for the next dry period.

We've basically set up a strategy to keep water in the lakes.

Simon Molesworth is surprised by the number of turtles found.

Before the rain, the main concern was the threat to wildlife.

Mr Molesworth is happy about the La Trobe research team's discovery.

We had no idea there might be that number.

Team turtle

There is not much research on turtles in dry areas.

Mr Smith wants to understand the turtle population in the Murray-Darling Basin.

The research team travelled from Wodonga, Victoria, to Broken Hill.

They are studying how dams and irrigation channels affect turtle movement.

The findings exceeded expectations, but more research is needed.

This population seems to be thriving.

Which is a good thing, but we need to learn more.

Mr Smith wants to return in a year to understand the population's sustainability.

Wesley Smith is researching turtles in the Murray-Darling Basin.

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