# Australian First



## expansa1 (Feb 2, 2007)

Hi everyone, we received some awesome news today! 

We have just become Australia's first private breeders of an endangered species for release back into the wild! Our Mary River turtles (Elusor macrurus) have just been given the go ahead for Australia's first endangered, privately bred hatchlings to be released into the wild!

Today we received the approval from the Project Leader of the Qld EPA (Turtle Conservation Project) Dr. Colin Limpus to release our captive bred hatchlings into a designated area of the Mary River.

In collaboration with the QPWS we have been given authorisation to release all of our hatchlings into the wild for conservation purposes. *No zoo or other institution *has been able to achieve this thus far! After our fourth clutch hatched today, we have 60 hatchlings due to be released next week with a further two clutches expected to hatch soon! This is above our expectations as we did not receive the necessary environmental cues required to breed this species. This season we had to drain a dam located above our turtle dam using a 3/4 inch hose to simulate the environmental triggers (flows). Additionally we provided extra nesting beaches of river sand.

This is also a first for Australian (possibly the world) private breeders as amateur licensed keepers of any species have never been considered for inclusion in captive breeding/release programs!


Regards,
Craig & Gabrielle AFTCRA Inc.
Australian Freshwater Turtle Conservation & Research Association


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## PremierPythons (Feb 2, 2007)

That's the best news I've had all day... Congratulations Craig & Gabrielle - you should be very proud


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## Reptile_Boy (Feb 2, 2007)

congrads that heaps good to know i hope it all goes well for ya!

Reptile_boy


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## hornet (Feb 2, 2007)

congrats craig, great news, very good to hear


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## Saz (Feb 2, 2007)

Congrats Craig and Gabrielle!! Thats an amazing achievement!


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## olivehydra (Feb 2, 2007)

congrats guys, thats great news! be sure to post a few pics of the happy release?


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## expansa1 (Feb 2, 2007)

olivehydra said:


> congrats guys, thats great news! be sure to post a few pics of the happy release?



Hi Everyone, thanks! We are absolutely over the moon about this. They are going to be released into an are that won't be affected by the Mega dam if it goes ahead! We will try to get someone like totally wild involved or some other tv station (news)

Regards,

Craig


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## Robbo (Feb 2, 2007)

congratulations 
thats great news you must be very happy 
i hope you take some pics to share when you release them


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## zobo (Feb 2, 2007)

that just goes to show that some private breeders have just as much know how if not more than some zoo's etc.
well done
jas


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## junglepython2 (Feb 2, 2007)

Well done, good to see something being done about it.


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## Greggus (Feb 2, 2007)

SENSATIONAL!!!! You guy"s must be so proud.Well done!!!


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## GraftonChic (Feb 2, 2007)

Hi
Just a question.. I drove up to Qld the other day from NSW and saw signs save the Mary River. Save our homes we wont be kicked out etc.. Is the gov or local body doing something to the Mary River? Is that the same river for your turtles?
Sorry for the ignorance, just curious
Andrea


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## hornet (Feb 2, 2007)

hey craig, any chance i could come and help ya with the release, i would really love to be involved with this


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## horsenz (Feb 2, 2007)

wow guys that is so awesome... congratulations. what an achievement!!!!!!


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## expansa1 (Feb 2, 2007)

GraftonChic said:


> Hi
> Just a question.. I drove up to Qld the other day from NSW and saw signs save the Mary River. Save our homes we wont be kicked out etc.. Is the gov or local body doing something to the Mary River? Is that the same river for your turtles?
> Sorry for the ignorance, just curious
> Andrea



Hi Andrea, Yes the Premier Peter Beattie is adamant about building a mega-dam on the Mary River to try to make up for his lack of planning ahead with the water crisis that Australia is facing! He stated that he will go ahead and build this dam whether it is feasible or not! How dumb is that! Everyone knows that you can build a dam but that is no guarantee that it will be filled.

Please go to the below link to see photo's of some turtles from the Burnett River "Paradise Dam" that Premier Beattie is modelling the Mary River mega-dam on. 
http://swampnews.squarespace.com/display/ShowGallery?moduleId=785947&galleryId=45254 if thislink doesn't work go to http://swampnews.squarespace.com/home/ and Picture Gallery > Paradise Dam - Effects of Fish Ladders
It's really quite gruesome. Also if you want to read a bit more about the Mary River dam. there is another link below to a story my wife, Gabrielle wrote!
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/741410919

Regards,

Craig


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## expansa1 (Feb 2, 2007)

hornet said:


> hey craig, any chance i could come and help ya with the release, i would really love to be involved with this



Sure! We'll let you know when it is happening! Please send me a pm with your details

Cheers,
Craig


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## Mrs Mac (Feb 2, 2007)

congrats that is such wonderful news. you must be stoked!


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## ad (Feb 2, 2007)

Congrats and well done Craig and Gabe,
What a rewarding experience for you, some sugar for all your hard work,

All we need is it to rain out Wivenoe way and fill those dams, it would give them time to find some real water problem solutions rather than building another dam.

Its fantastic to know your tutles are worthy to ensure their existance, regardless of politics.
Cheers
Adam.


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## expansa1 (Feb 2, 2007)

Mrs Mac said:


> congrats that is such wonderful news. you must be stoked!



Yes we are!

We have also been invited (all expenses paid) to do a talk on Australian Freshwater Turtle Conservation at the Florida Reptile Show in 2008!
Unbelievable!

We'll be taking orders for your "wish list" reptiles from the show LOL 

Regards,

Craig & Gab


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## Chrisreptile (Feb 2, 2007)

CONGRATULATIONS craig and gabe.
thats some really good news.


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## obee (Feb 2, 2007)

CONGRATS guys!!!
You have done what most of us can only dream about! You have also brought light to what private keepers can do.It's efforts like yours that may pave the way for many possibilities.


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## grimbeny (Feb 2, 2007)

THATS SUCH GOOD NEWS. CONGRADULATIONS.

I would have thought that endangered species would have been released into the wild before, its quite amasing that this stuff hasnt happened before. Hopefully u guys have set an example about what people can do to protect our beloved native species and more people get involved in conservation activities like this one.


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## Twiggz (Feb 2, 2007)

Fantastic Craig and Gabrielle.
And its not like its a small release either.....60+......simply amazing!!!
Well done.


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## Jason (Feb 2, 2007)

well done mate!!!! the hard work has paid off you couldnt ask for a better result. im very happy for you and the turtle population!!! are they going to have transmitter ect for ecological studies? and genetic work done in the future to look at the effect that your release has had on the population growth?
well done mate!!!!!! im veryt excited for you!!


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## jordo (Feb 2, 2007)

Great news! Congrats. It'd be good if Today Tonight or one of those shows could do a story on it, I wouldn't see it if it was on Totally Wild.


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## hornet (Feb 2, 2007)

thats a good idea jordo, craig if its ok i might pop onto today tonights website and inform them? would b good for the general public to know bout the conservation efforts of us folk


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## expansa1 (Feb 2, 2007)

Thanks everyone. There will be dna work done on the MRT population as well as our captive adults and hatchlings.

Now to some bad news! Below is some rather graphic images of turtles that have been damaged or killed in man made fish locks, weirs and dams in the Burnett river that Premier Beattie is modelling his Mary River mega-dam on. God help all the turtles and fish!


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## Retic (Feb 2, 2007)

Fantastic news Craig and Gabrielle, you have what is probably the best turtle breeding set up I have seen and it is great to see that all your hard work has been rewarded. 
Well done.


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## expansa1 (Feb 2, 2007)

boa said:


> Fantastic news Craig and Gabrielle, you have what is probably the best turtle breeding set up I have seen and it is great to see that all your hard work has been rewarded.
> Well done.



Cheers,
Thanks boa!


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## NaughtyByNature (Feb 2, 2007)

How sad, the poor thing's.

let's hope your breeding comes along in leaps and bounds and none of your released turtles return to you like the ones above.


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## MrSpike (Feb 2, 2007)

Good work Craig and Gab!!! I wish i was up there so i could come along and see these little guy's released! Hope all goes to plan, lets save these turtles, and stop this dam!!


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## viridis (Feb 3, 2007)

What a buzz, thats a positive outcome for all the hard work you guys do . Hats off to you and Gabbie craig, well done mate,

nick


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## zulu (Feb 3, 2007)

*re Australian*

Good work Craig,is the government compensting you for this they should be,if they set up a facility to breed fingerling fish or turtles it would cost the tax payer a small fortune.Also what do you think the survival rate would be with regards to the predators in the release area,like do you think it would help if they were yearligs for example.


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## expansa1 (Feb 3, 2007)

zulu said:


> Good work Craig,is the government compensting you for this they should be,if they set up a facility to breed fingerling fish or turtles it would cost the tax payer a small fortune.Also what do you think the survival rate would be with regards to the predators in the release area,like do you think it would help if they were yearligs for example.



Hi Zulu,

Studies on the survivorship of turtle hatchlings have found that once they reach the water the odds of surviving are the same for hatchlings and yearling juveniles (about 90% each year)! The advantages of releasing them younger are that they don't associate people with food. Also, their primal instincts give them the 'street-smarts' they need before they learn alternatives to true survival techniques!

Our hatchlings are raised on natural, live foods such as insects, fish, freshwater prawns etc.....this way they have the best possible chance of survival, in the wild. 

The area of the Mary River that has been chosen for the release site has been monitored regularly by the QPWS and has had good recruitment (survival to adulthood) previously.

Cheers,
Craig & Gab


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## expansa1 (Feb 3, 2007)

zulu said:


> Good work Craig,is the government compensting you for this they should be,if they set up a facility to breed fingerling fish or turtles it would cost the tax payer a small fortune.



Forgot to answer this one Zulu, no they're not compensating us. We're doing it for conservation in Australia, the love of turtles and to raise the profile of licensed herpers like all of us here at APS!

Cheers,

Craig


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## reece89 (Feb 3, 2007)

great news mate


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## expansa1 (Feb 3, 2007)

reece89 said:


> great news mate



Cheers!


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## GraftonChic (Feb 3, 2007)

Thankyou. We have a dam being built here. It goes from Coutts Crossing to Coffs Harbour and its gravity fed. When the Coffs Harbour dam is full they will move the water back up the hill to Coutts. All gravity fed. Go figure, I was under the impression gravity fed water will not run back up him without a pump...Idiots
I have signed the petition 
Hope it helps
Good luck with your fight. Keep everyone informed


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## Aslan (Feb 3, 2007)

90% survival rate is amazing, must be even better knowing that the significant majority of your released animals will survive until adulthood...

How many animals will you be releasing?


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## zulu (Feb 3, 2007)

*re Australian*

Thanks for your imformative answers craig,i feel that the QLD EPA should compensate you though,they have been provided with many millions of dollars over the years in funding and they have onley released cane toads,you will release an endangered native species


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## expansa1 (Feb 3, 2007)

GraftonChic said:


> Thankyou. We have a dam being built here. It goes from Coutts Crossing to Coffs Harbour and its gravity fed. When the Coffs Harbour dam is full they will move the water back up the hill to Coutts. All gravity fed. Go figure, I was under the impression gravity fed water will not run back up him without a pump...Idiots
> I have signed the petition
> Hope it helps
> Good luck with your fight. Keep everyone informed



Hi Grafton Chic,
thanks for signing the petition!
It's amazing that a lot of other countries are filling their dams in and using 'new technology' for water but Australia, one of the driest continents in the world, still feels that if you build a dam the rain will fill it. Just look at most of the dams Australia wide, most are more than 80% empty.
Craig


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## expansa1 (Feb 3, 2007)

Aslan said:


> 90% survival rate is amazing, must be even better knowing that the significant majority of your released animals will survive until adulthood...
> 
> How many animals will you be releasing?



We have sixty so far ear marked for release with a possible 2 more clutches to hatch!


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## MrSpike (Feb 3, 2007)

expansa1 said:


> We have sixty so far ear marked for release with a possible 2 more clutches to hatch!



That's allot of turtles! Hope all goes well with them!!


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## Pythonpilot (Feb 3, 2007)

Congratulations, a pleasing result for turtle conservation. Hope you will have photos and stories to tell at the aftcra stand at the Macherps show!


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## Aslan (Feb 3, 2007)

Wow, that is a lot...that is a solid effort in the way of conservation...

You guys really should be stoked...how did you go about gaining permission for it? Did it take a lot to convince them...?


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## expansa1 (Feb 3, 2007)

Pythonpilot said:


> Congratulations, a pleasing result for turtle conservation. Hope you will have photos and stories to tell at the aftcra stand at the Macherps show!



Yes by then we should have lots of photo's and more info on the release!

Gab will be going to the show and I will be holding the fort!
Craig


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## stokedapollo (Feb 3, 2007)

well done guys


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## expansa1 (Feb 3, 2007)

stokedapollo said:


> well done guys



Thanks!


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## GraftonChic (Feb 3, 2007)

Oh those poor turtles. I love turtles, always stop and pick htem off the road and put where theyare safe. The kids always say " mums seen another turtle, as I run back up the road to move it 
Great job your doing
Let us know where and when your tv show is being screened


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## expansa1 (Feb 3, 2007)

GraftonChic said:


> Oh those poor turtles. I love turtles, always stop and pick htem off the road and put where theyare safe. The kids always say " mums seen another turtle, as I run back up the road to move it
> Great job your doing
> Let us know where and when your tv show is being screened



Will Do!

Cheers,

Craig


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## dellywatts (Feb 3, 2007)

That is so good. It is such great news. Congratulations. It is great to see people doing things completely unselfishly, gives me more faith in humans.


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## dazza_wilto (Feb 3, 2007)

well done and keep up the good work


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## expansa1 (Feb 3, 2007)

dazza_wilto said:


> well done and keep up the good work



Thanks Dazza!


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