Russell Crowe shells out $50K to help turtles

[Flaviemys purvisi]

This turtle was discovered floating in the sea, unable to dive to catch food and taken back to the zoo's Australian Wildlife Hospital (AWH) where carers named her Trident.(AAP)

Sick and injured sea turtles at Australia Zoo have found a saviour in actor Russell Crowe, who has shelled out for a vital piece of medical equipment.

Crowe recently donated a brand new endoscope worth $50,000 to the zoo's Wildlife Hospital.

The endoscope will allow vets to conduct otherwise invasive surgical procedures with minimal impact on the patient, by avoiding large incisions to perform surgeries like removing fish hooks from the gullet and upper gastrointestinal tract.

The 104kg female turtle was found in distress in deep water off Mooloolaba. (AAP)

Actor Russell Crowe. (AAP)

This will result in faster patient recovery time and a greater chance of survival.

Wildlife Warriors founder Terri Irwin said she was very grateful for the donation.

"This endoscope will mean a higher success rate for rehabilitating sick and injured sea turtles, enabling even more of these endangered animals to be returned to the ocean," she said.

"Russell Crowe's generosity will not only benefit individual sea turtles, but will also contribute to the well being of entire species."

 

[cris]

I have done more for conservation by pissing on a tree than anything some Hollywood wanker does by such a trivial virtue signal. These idiots do more damage to conservation than anyone.

 

[Chipewah]

"Fighting round the world", such a classic.

 

[GBWhite]

I admit I haven't read Kev's post but from what I've heard it seems like a token gesture. His real passion is Rugby League. He put up $100K to assist the Orara Rugby League club to secure senior players this year. A few years ago he covered the cost of a new ground.

 

[Bluetongue1]

Hi George, his donation of an operating endoscope was half the amount donated to the footy team. I figure that is more than is more than just a token gesture, especially given his passion is Rugby League. If he donated nothing to help turtles then he would not be open any criticism. I believe one should view it in that perspective.

I watched the South Park cartoon, and call me old fashioned, but I found it piss-poor pathetic.

 

[GBWhite]

Why I referred to it as a token gesture was because it wasn't like he decided to do it off his own bat. From what I've heard he did it as a result of influence from the Irwins. If he wasn't a good friend of theirs I doubt it would ever have happened. Nonetheless it is a nice gesture. Personally I don't mind the bloke but I'd like to see him or someone else who's loaded step up and donate a nice sum to projects like the one below.

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

Murray river turtles Emydura macquarii are far from needing conservative effort in this country, they're running rampant and causing havoc in at least half a dozen systems outside their natural range (especially in the Bellinger and Manning rivers) thanks to human ignorance.

Murray's are also being bred on a colossal scale in captivity throughout SA, NSW and QLD. Their numbers in their native Murray river could easily be re-established.

longicollis and expansa could definitely use a leg up though.

 

[cris]

Why I referred to it as a token gesture was because it wasn't like he decided to do it off his own bat. From what I've heard he did it as a result of influence from the Irwins. If he wasn't a good friend of theirs I doubt it would ever have happened. Nonetheless it is a nice gesture. Personally I don't mind the bloke but I'd like to see him or someone else who's loaded step up and donate a nice sum to projects like the one below.

I thought Australia Zoo was opposed to pest control or are they interested in actual conservation these days rather than bleeding heart nonsense?

Murray river turtles Emydura macquarii are far from needing conservative effort in this country, they're running rampant and causing havoc in at least half a dozen systems outside their natural range (especially in the Bellinger and Manning rivers) thanks to human ignorance.

Murray's are also being bred on a colossal scale in captivity throughout SA, NSW and QLD. Their numbers in their native Murray river could easily be re-established.

longicollis and expansa could definitely use a leg up though.

What havoc are Murray River turtles causing? I had heard of populations outside their natural range, but never heard any details of negative impacts.

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

Emydura outside their natural range ruin the genetic integrity of other local Emydura through crossbreeding. Already affected are the Brisbane river, Hunter river and Krefft's river turtles. In the Manning and Bellinger systems, the much larger and more aggressive Murray's are outcompeting and displacing georgesi and purvisi and crossbreeding with them producing infertile hybrid (mongrel) turtles. Both of these species are endangered. Murray's outside their natural range are a huge problem. The damage being done to other Emydura subspecies is irriversible.

 

[cris]

In the Manning and Bellinger systems, the much larger and more aggressive Murray's are outcompeting and displacing georgesi and purvisi and crossbreeding with them producing infertile hybrid (mongrel) turtles.

That is interesting. I had some idea about the racial purity thing, but I was not aware the intergenus breeding and infertile hybrids. It is a downside of breeding and selling turtles. It would be better if there was a way for people who just want a pet turtles to be able to keep the local species/race.

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

That is interesting. I had some idea about the racial purity thing, but I was not aware the intergenus breeding and infertile hybrids. It is a downside of breeding and selling turtles. It would be better if there was a way for people who just want a pet turtles to be able to keep the local species/race.

Ideally, people wouldn't just go and dump their pets when they grow too big for their home aquarium. Murrays should never have been allowed into the captive trade to begin with, they're the least suited species for captive life being the fastest growing species in Australia, in the top 5 largest as adults and the top 3 most aggressive.