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expansa1

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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
 
That's the best news I've had all day... Congratulations Craig & Gabrielle - you should be very proud
 
congrads that heaps good to know i hope it all goes well for ya!

Reptile_boy
 
congrats craig, great news, very good to hear
 
Congrats Craig and Gabrielle!! Thats an amazing achievement!
 
congrats guys, thats great news! be sure to post a few pics of the happy release?
 
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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congratulations
thats great news you must be very happy
i hope you take some pics to share when you release them
 
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
 
Well done, good to see something being done about it.
 
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
 
hey craig, any chance i could come and help ya with the release, i would really love to be involved with this
 
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
 
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
 
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.
 
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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