English springer spaniels Hettie and Badger have been busy sniffing their way around the College’s 10-hectare riverfront site at Currency Creek this week and last, showing students where to install nest guards, just as turtles begin to nest following the spring rains.
Students have also installed fox deterrents (sound and light based) and surveillance cameras, as well as basking platforms for turtles.
“Participating Year 11 and 12 students are thrilled to be taking part in ecologically significant conservation research as part of their Certificate III in Conservation and Ecosystem Management,” Investigator College teacher and Currency Creek Campus Manager Nat Gilbert said.
“I am not aware of anywhere else where students can work alongside conservationists and industry experts as part of a funded project with this sort of positive biodiversity impact.
“We are fortunate to have such an amazing property, which makes this VET course and projects like this possible.
“If you’re a student with a passion for the environment who wants to make an impact and gain hands-on skills while at school, Investigator College is the place to be.”
The project will provide useful insights to landholders and conservationists who are joining the effort to save three ageing turtle populations: the Eastern long-necked turtle, Murray short-necked turtle, and the Broad-shelled turtle. These populations are ageing due to predation of nests by introduced predators, among other causes.
Early trials run by students, using artificial nests with chicken eggs have already shown promising results, with fox deterrents doing a good job limiting predation.
Conservation and Detection Dogs SA have been busy training up the dogs using hard-to-source turtle cloaca fluid scent. It is hoped their acute sense of smell will finally level the playing field with foxes.
The project is funded by Landscape Hills and Fleurieu. The College thanks other participants including Ngarrindjeri Thukabi Monitoring Program, the 1 Million Turtles Project, Nature Glenelg Trust, Aquasave, Adelaide University, Yarluwar-Ruwe Project, Ngarrindjeri Aboriginal Corporation, Strathalbyn Field Naturalists, and Barron Environmental.
To listen to Mrs Natalie Gilbert’s interview with Jo Laverty on Radio Adelaide, click here and cut ahead to the 1 hour 59 minute mark.
