Turtle Nest Survey - Pike Floodplain, near Renmark - 18 Feb 2024

It’s turtle nesting season!

Freshwater turtles numbers are in decline, particularly in the Murray-Darling system in South Australia, so we need as much information as we can gather on where they are nesting. Undisturbed turtle nests are very hard to find. When foxes dig up the nests and eat the eggs they leave scattered shells on the surface. While this is an unfortunate end for the eggs, it does mean we can more easily see where the turtles have come out to nest.

Once we have identified nesting hotspots we can work out the best conservation measures to undertake to get more young turtles back into our waterways.

Program for each day:

• Arrive 8am – Bert Dix Memorial Park, Lock 5 Rd, Paringa SA 
• Welcome and introduction (1 Million Turtles, TurtleSAT, Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board & Helga) – 8:15 – 8:3
• Travel a little further to nest survey location
• Nest surveying – 8:30 – 10:30
• Refreshments and further turtle talk 10:30-11, likely back at Bert Dix Memorial Park in shade

We are starting early in case the day is forecast to be hot.

The survey will involve relatively easy walking for up to 2 hours near the edge of the water looking for evidence of turtle nests that have been dug up by foxes. When we find the nests we will record the location using the TurtleSAT app.

If the fire weather forecast is Extreme or Catastrophic we will need to cancel the survey and reschedule the event for a later date. A cancellation will be confirmed via email after 5pm on the day before the event when the up to date rating is broadcast.

NOTE: There are toilets at Bert dix Memorial Park. The closest ones are the public toilets at Renmark Ave, Renmark