By Ruby Cornish, News, ABC
Oct 26, 2016,
The critically-endangered
Bellinger River snapping turtle is showing early signs of breeding in
captivity, according to keepers at Sydney's Taronga Zoo.
The turtles, which are found in a
single body of water on the New South Wales mid north coast, were decimated
last year when a mystery
virus swept through the river's population, leaving the animals blind and
starving.
It is estimated that 400 turtles
died in the space of a month, and in April this year the species was listed as
critically endangered by the NSW Scientific Committee.
Since then, an emergency response
team of scientists has been investigating the event and developing a strategy
to save the population.
As part of that effort, 16
turtles were placed in quarantine at Western Sydney University then transported
to Taronga Zoo to help establish an 'insurance population’.
Senior Keeper Adam Skidmore, said
the captive turtles were doing very well.
"We've just brought them
through the winter period. Up until now they've been quite dormant, lying
around and not doing too much," he said.
"But as the weather has
warmed up they're starting to get more inquisitive and more alert, and taking
an interest in each other.”
He said some turtles had been
observed mating, but that did not necessarily mean a successful breeding
season.
"Baby turtles would be a
bonus, but we don't need it to happen now.
"We're not going to be
disheartened. The turtles are just getting used to being in a captive
situation.”
He said the team was hoping to
see a steady breeding pattern develop over the next few years.
Mr Skidmore said it was hard to
predict how long it would be until the turtle population along the Bellingen
River returned to healthy numbers.
"First we need to breed them
up. Then there's so many variables along the river that have to be addressed by
all stakeholders," he said
Last month students from
Bellingen High School and Chrysalis Steiner School made
alarming findings when they carried out studies on the health of the Bellinger
River.
Dissolved oxygen saturation
readings ranged from 40 to 60 per cent, well below the Australian healthy river
standard of 85 per cent or more.
Mr Skidmore said the information
was helpful for determining when and where the turtles could be released in the
future.
"It's great to have people
out there collecting data in the environment that these animals are found
in," he said.
"We hope for ideal
conditions [when we release them], but it's a tough one.
"It's largely out of our
hands.”
Taronga Veterinary Pathologist
Karrie Rose said there had not been any additional
cases of the virus detected since the initial outbreak.
"The population in the river
seems to be doing very well," she said.
She said ultimately hopes were
high for the preservation and rehabilitation of the snapping turtle.
"There are a lot of positive
conversation actions underway, and I think all of the signs are very good now,
she said.
She said the source of the
mystery virus remained unknown.
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