Dog Sniffs Out Waterways Threat
09 February, 2007
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A sniffer dog will be called in to scour Bulimba Creek after the latest suspected sighting of an invasive turtle species, Environment and Sustainability Chairperson Helen Abrahams said.
Australia’s only trained Red Eared Slider Turtle sniffer dog - “Angus” from Pine Rivers Shire – will be onsite next week at Bulimba Creek, Carindale to scour the waterway for the Class 1 pest.
“There have been recent suspected sightings of these very damaging turtles in Bulimba Creek, and this is important because it is unusual to find slider turtles in moving water,” Cr Abrahams said.
“In the past the turtles have been found in dams and still water where they can be humanely trapped using specialised netting methods.
“In this situation, it is much more appropriate for Angus to sniff along the banks of the creek to see if he can find any, as the turtles come out of the water to lay their eggs,” she said.
Red-Eared Slider Turtles are included in the top 100 of the ‘world’s worst invasive species’ by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), due to their invasive nature and their potential impacts on biodiversity.
Class 1 pests are subject to eradication in Queensland and landowners must take reasonable steps to keep land free of them.
A Red Eared Slider Turtle management program was established between the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Water and affected local Governments following the discovery of two slider turtles in 2004.
Local residents are asked to be on the look out for the turtles, and any sightings should be reported to the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Water on 1800 999 367.
Further information can be found on Council’s website at www.brisbane.qld.gov.au.