Understanding and helping preserve the Bell's Turtle

 

ABEL members are working with Local Land Services on an exciting project looking to understand the factors that have led to Bell's Turtle (Myuchelys bellii) recently being listed as endangered in NSW.

 

The project is part of an Environmental Trust Saving our Species Program and involves researchers from a range of organisations, who are working under the guidance of the Northern Tablelands Local Land Services branch who are overseeing the project.

 

PhD students Geoff Hughes and Lou Streeting are working on this project. Here in the background you can see Lou's camera traps monitoring turtle laying behaviour and the role of predators such as foxes on nest survival. Also visible is a mesh covering protecting active nests. See here for the latest updates!