Australian First

[obee]

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.

 

[grimbeny]

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.

 

[Twiggz]

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

 

[Jason]

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!!

 

[jordo]

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.

 

[hornet]

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

 

[expansa1]

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!

 

[Retic]

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.

 

[expansa1]

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!

 

[NaughtyByNature]

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.

 

[MrSpike]

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!!

 

[viridis]

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

 

[zulu]

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.

 

[expansa1]

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

 

[expansa1]

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

 

[reece89]

great news mate

 

[expansa1]

great news mate

Cheers!

 

[GraftonChic]

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

 

[Aslan]

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?

 

[zulu]

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