news, local-news, turtle, dams, developers, filling, council

Wildlife advocates fear landfill used to cover empty dams is burying turtles alive. Animal rescuer Kane Durant said dams in the area were not being checked by developers or land-owners before being drained and filled with soil meaning hundreds of turtles were being killed. Mr Durant said he had rescued turtles from sites along Camden Valley Way at Leppington and at Warwick Farm. “We’re hopping into dams and pulling out an average of 40 turtles,” he said. “In development zones they’re draining rural dams used for livestock and crops. “But all wildlife in those areas rely on those dams. “[The draining and filling of the dams] happens while the turtles are still in them. “Protected species are buried alive.” Western Sydney University’s Dr Ricky Spencer, who specialises in wildlife biology and conservation, said it was possible a once common species, like the Eastern Long Neck Turtle, could soon become extinct if the filling of dams was not regulated. The two men are calling for regulations to be placed on developers and landowners to have dams inspected and turtles relocated before the dams are filled. “I have a scientific background and from a population perspective if you lose over 1 to 2 per cent of the adult population every year the species can decline very quickly,” he said. “But in some of these areas, the loss is more than 1 or 2 per cent. “You take the adult population out of it and this species just can’t survive. “If they’re buried, a once common species will be driven to extinction.” Mr Durant’s business, Wild Aquarium and Reptile Specialists, hire out specialists to inspect dams, find turtles and relocate them. He said he had visited sites where they were told there were no animals, but what they found said differently. “Residents brought the problem at Warwick Farm to our attention so we contacted the developers there but no one returned our call,” Mr Durant said. “The owners and developers should be paying an organisation like ours to go onto the site and relocate these animals before construction.” He said Blacktown Council had already enforced regulations on the issue and he hoped neighbouring councils would follow suit.

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