A turtle conservation project involving our local community members is in the running for a national science award.
The Australian Museum Eureka Prizes has named 1 Million Turtles as a front runner for the recognition for helping to influence policy, and save over 1,000 freshwater turtles and 200 nests in the past year alone.
In South Australia, the Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board is the official delivery partner for the program with a particular focus on the 3 turtle species in the River Murray and backwaters, which are either rare or drastically declining in numbers.
Senior project officer Sylvia Clarke said the project would not be successful without its citizen scientists using the TurtleSAT app to help restore habitats and protect nests from threats like foxes.
“It would be impossible to undertake this level of turtle conservation work without the support of local citizen scientists,” Sylvia Clarke said.
Last year, citizen scientists recorded 106 turtle nests and 27 turtle sightings in the Murraylands and Riverland on TurtleSAT.
Eureka award winners will be announced on August 23.
Hear more from Sylvia Clarke speaking with ARN’s Chris Guscott in the audio play window below:
