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09-May-08, 11:24 PM
|  | Subscriber | Join Date: Sep-07 Location: S.A. Gender:  | | |
Just a quick update on our turtles. Today the Milang campus school kids had another day of turtle patrol with, yet another, film crew. This time is was the team from TTN. Yet more turtles were found, dead & live making the tally at one place alone 76 live & 69 dead. 2 more joined me here, both short neck & 5 more will be coming to me next week. I keep thinking that number will start easing off but it's not happening. 20 or so were found today. They will be cleaned, the worst will be kept till spring while the better ones go to another kind person who then relocates them far upriver. I have included some pics from today. Pics 1,2 &3 are some of the lucky ones, pic 4 was once a turtle and pic 5 is a few more of the unlucky ones.
__________________ Words are mere bubbles of water, But deeds are drops of GOLD !  |
09-May-08, 11:35 PM
|  | Regular Member | | | | | what is that stuff concrete or sumthing
__________________ May the force be with you
1 coastal hatchie 
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10-May-08, 07:17 AM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Dec-07 Location: NSW Age/Gender: 32  | | | | Thats sad to c them turtles in tht state. I saw them last week on 60minutes and i really felt for them as i hve a cple of baby shortnecks thing gee tht cld b them if they were in the wild. |
10-May-08, 10:31 AM
| | Regular Member | Join Date: Dec-06 Location: Syd | | | Quote:
Originally Posted by pete12  what is that stuff concrete or sumthing | its bristleworm tunnels pete. Thery are a marine invert that build there home on most submerged surfaces. you will see aggregations of it on wharf pylons. They build calcium based tubes not unlike cement and in large numbers it builds up very quickly. The oversalination, due to greatly reduced waterflows, of the lake has resulted in a change in the type of life in the lake. In the not to distant future all freshwater supported lifeforms in the lake will perish.
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"be a tree"- Anthony Stimson |
10-May-08, 10:34 AM
|  | Invert nut Subscriber | Join Date: Oct-05 Location: QLD Gender: | | | great to see those resued turts now have a chance, unfortunatly it seems the lake doesnt 
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R.I.P. Dimebag 1966-2004
..........Proud member of the coastal carpet lovers club..........
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10-May-08, 11:23 AM
|  | Subscriber | Join Date: May-08 Location: Portland, South West Victoria Gender: | | | | it's good to see some people being pro active towards the problem, unfortuanately it has had to get to this state, for media to report it on a national scale. well done on the good work, you guys are doing. keep it up. |
10-May-08, 08:26 PM
| | Subscriber | Join Date: Sep-07 Location: S.A. Gender: | | | Quote:
Originally Posted by pete12 what is that stuff concrete or sumthing | It is tubeworm which is as -Peter said is usually found only in saltwater. When you break that stuff off, you can see the skinny, brown worms inside..real icky. Eventually the turtles get so covered they are literally imprisoned and can't feed or the shells get so heavy they cant move. They are then preyed upon by birds, foxes etc. Some are lucky enough to be found by one of the people who now patrol regularly. Then they are scraped and kept in fresh water. We change the water two or three times a day to start with, then once a day seems to be enough. Not only do we have to remove the crust and de-salinate them, some are weak from hunger so we certainly have a job ahead. I can't give exact numbers cos there are a couple of groups doing this but I could safely guess we have reached the thousands. Next problem could be what are we going to do if the lake doesn't recover? The river will almost certainly be next so where will the turtles go??
__________________ Words are mere bubbles of water, But deeds are drops of GOLD ! |
10-May-08, 10:22 PM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Mar-08 Location: Melbourne Age/Gender: 23 | | | | It breaks my heart to see so many that did'nt make it, but it is lovely to know there are people like you who care enough to try and make a difference. Wish i was in your state, i'd join you. Feel so helpless being so far away but unable to help
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Before you criticize some one walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them you're a mile away.................... And you have their shoes!!!  |
10-May-08, 10:33 PM
| | Subscriber | Join Date: Sep-07 Location: S.A. Gender: | | | | Cheers sarah. But that's just it! Everyone can find a way to help. We need to help the Murray by putting pressure on the government and the appropriate bodies to do something NOW...not 10 years down the track!! Irrigation further upstream needs to be curtailed for non-food related irrigators. By that I mean [ dare I say it ] vineyards for eg. None of the water from the Qld floods even reached the Murray! Once upon a time most of that water would have ended up here. Honestly, I don't know the answer, as I am just beginning my "education " into all this with my main concern ATM being the turtles. I will find out and pass on anything I learn. All I know for sure is that the WHOLE river system is in serious danger & although we in SA are bearing the brunt of it, it does in fact concern all of the states on this side of Oz!!
PS Thanks, guys, for your encouragement. It is a heartbreaking job when they don't make it but it's lovely when they do!
__________________ Words are mere bubbles of water, But deeds are drops of GOLD !
Last edited by kakariki; 10-May-08 at 10:37 PM.
Reason: PS
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10-May-08, 10:47 PM
| | Subscriber | Join Date: Sep-07 Location: S.A. Gender: | | | | This little fella joined me yesterday. What will become of him? His life has only just begun & luckily didn't end like so many of his rellies.
__________________ Words are mere bubbles of water, But deeds are drops of GOLD ! |
10-May-08, 11:01 PM
|  | Subscriber | Join Date: Feb-08 Location: Melbourne Age/Gender: 35 | | | Your doing great work Sam  How could refuse to help that little face on your last pic.
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My name is Andy and Im a Reptiholic.
Pythons need cuddles too..... |
10-May-08, 11:09 PM
| | Subscriber | Join Date: Sep-07 Location: S.A. Gender: | | | Ta Andy. I can't refuse & that's what scares me! They ALL have that same look...."Pleeease?.... I need you!!"
I am a softie who is going to be over run with turtles just like him!!!! 
__________________ Words are mere bubbles of water, But deeds are drops of GOLD ! |
10-May-08, 11:11 PM
|  | Seller | Join Date: Mar-05 Location: Ashfield Age/Gender: 27 | | | | Thats fantastic work the kids and you are doing i think its such a treagedy it make my skin shiver seeing that way |
10-May-08, 11:30 PM
| | Regular Member | Join Date: Dec-07 Location: NSW Age/Gender: 32 | | | | kakariki u r doing an awesome job, love the little fella i hve 2 abt the same size | |
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