What inspires you about your job?
As with most keepers, it is probably the animals. You get to work with animals that many people don’t really know about or don’t get to see regularly. Then, of course, I find the people I work with highly inspiring. It’s hard not to be enthusiastic about your job when you’re surrounded by people who are enthusiastic about their jobs.
What inspires you about the Western Swamp Tortoise?
The main reason I chose to study them in my honours project at university was because they are a local species that not many people in the Perth region know about. It’s quite rare to live in a city where you have a critically endangered animal right on your doorstep. The Western Swamp Tortoise is only found in the Swan Valley, just outside of Perth.
Why is it so important to save this particular tortoise?
The Western Swamp Tortoise is Australia’s smallest tortoise and our most endangered reptile. They are quite unique because they are winter active which is counter-intuitive for a reptile. Reptiles get their heat from the sun and external sources which means that they are usually more active in summer. Like all species, the Western Swamp Tortoise is vulnerable to climate change. It lives and feeds in wetlands that only fill during winter and spring, and aestivates (similar to hibernation but in summer) in holes in the ground when the swamps dry out. Late rains delay the release of the Western Swamp Tortoises we breed here at the Zoo and if there is a drought they cannot be released.
On an amusing note, these guys have a permanent smile on their face because their mouths curve upwards at the side, which is kind of cute.
How threatened are they?
At one stage they were thought to be extinct because none had been seen for over 100 years. Then, in 1953, a Perth schoolboy found one by the side of the road and kept it as a pet. He and his dad took it to a naturalist society meeting where they thought they had found a new species. It was then properly identified and, after a search, around 200 to 300 were found. In the early 1980s, however, the population crashed to around 20 to 30 individuals. At this point, some were taken to Perth Zoo to start a breed-for-release program as part of a broader Western Swamp Tortoise Recovery Program.
Since 1988, 500 Western Swamp Tortoises bred at Perth Zoo have been released into protected nature reserves near Perth. It is estimated that the total number of these tortoises is now around 400-500 of which approximately 170 are at Perth Zoo. We keep the hatchlings here at the Zoo for around two to three years until they reach the required release weight of 100 grams to help reduce the risk of predation. We usually release around 30 to 40 each year.
One of the problems for these tortoises is that it takes them anywhere between 10 and 20 years to reach sexual maturity and lay eggs of their own. They only breed once a year and only lay 3-4 eggs at a time. With such a long reproductive cycle there is no quick fix. I think we’re looking at a minimum of 20 years before we’re going to see some sort of steady result and that is only possible if we manage to find more suitable habitat to use as release sites.
How do you see Perth Zoo’s role in nature conservation?
Education is a major component of conservation and it is one of Perth Zoo’s most important functions. A lot of people come to the Zoo to simply see an animal but while they’re here we can let them know what is happening to these animals in the wild and hopefully inspire them to become involved in conservation action.
How does working at Perth Zoo help your nature conservation work?
I am lucky because I am actually breeding animals for the Western Swamp Tortoise Recovery Program so I am directly supporting the conservation of this species in the wild. With my director, Helen Robertson, I represent Perth Zoo on the Western Swamp Tortoise Recovery Team. Our role is to not only plan what the Zoo is doing but also to keep track of breeding to make sure that we have enough animals for release to support the recovery program.
Along with donating to or fundraising for Perth Zoo’s Wildlife Conservation Action fund, what can individuals do to help the nature conservation cause?
There are so many ways people can become involved. For example, they can support one of Perth Zoo’s campaigns like Wipe for Wildlife by buying recycled toilet paper. It’s so easy – all you have to do is reach for a different part of the supermarket shelf and suddenly you’re having an impact on an environmental issue. By making a small lifestyle change you can make a difference.
If you want to get involved in conservation, learn how Perth Zoo can help. Visit www.perthzoo.wa.gov.au/Act
Find out more about the conservation organisations which our featured staff support.
Photos courtesy of Phil England and Perth Zoo.
