Almost 100 southwestern snake-necked turtles have been discovered deceased at Bibra Lake in a devastating blow to the species’ local population.
Experts believe the vulnerable animals have fallen victim to foxes after Perth’s long, hot summer.
Turtle tracker volunteer Joyce Gadalon said finding the dead turtles had been “devastating”.
“I’m literally in tears just talking about it right now,” she said.
Activists have demanded that local councils take more action to protect the turtles.
“There is a huge failing in that program at the moment, and it is failing our turtles. We’d also like to see a turtle conservation plan being implemented,” Gadalon said.
“I can assure you climate change isn’t going to go anywhere; foxes aren’t going to go anywhere. We’re still going to have a dried lake bed next year.”
The City of Cockburn is extending its fox trapping season but says a multi-level approach is needed.
“Turtle conservation for us looks like community education, land restoration, citizen science research, looking into population studies,” Vicky Harthill from Cockburn Council said.
Murdoch University researchers are investigating the mass turtle deaths and exploring measures to prevent the loss of more.
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Murdoch researcher Dr Anthony Santoro said the mass death was likely “not going to be an isolated event”.
“There are lakes dry throughout Perth, and there are foxes everywhere,” he said.
“It’s also highlighting the very real need to think about water into the future and how we manage that in terms of people’s needs and the environmental needs.”
Despite recent rainfall, the water levels remain insufficient to revive Bibra Lake.
The council is considering using storm water reserves to replenish the lake.
This article was produced with the assistance of 9ExPress.
