The City's response to the Fremantle Herald about turtle deaths and fox control, 27.2.25
Question
I have been liaising with the Walliabup Wildlife Warriors who have been working to collect data relating to turtle deaths around Bibra, Yangebup, and Little Rush Lakes.
They cited the deaths of hundreds of dead turtles that they have found around the lakes, many killed by foxes, and are calling for the City of Cockburn to increase funding for data collection as well as increased, quarterly fox trapping efforts to help sustain the turtle population.
I am wondering if the City plans on increasing its fox abatement program regularity, as part of an increased investment into turtle protection around the lakes.
Answer:
The City has planned for two additional rounds of fox control in 2024-2025.
The City has spent $155,000 on turtle conservation in the past 12 months. This included $65,000 on feral animal control which includes reactive control in recent weeks due to observed increases in fox predation rates on turtles at local lakes.
Historically, the City has spent about $20,000 annually on fox control twice a year to coincide with key moments in the fox breeding cycle. The autumn control program occurs when juveniles leave the den and males search for new territory. The spring control period occurs during the mating season, which is the highest period of fox movement.
Perth experienced its lowest October-March rainfall period on record in 2023-2024 and these extreme weather conditions led to significant wetland drying, making turtles more vulnerable than ever before to fox predation. The City increased the length of its autumn fox trapping program in City-managed reserves in response.
The CEO will continue to review the budget for the coming year.
WA Wildlife collects turtle data that it shares with the City. Between 1 September 2024 and 27 February 2025, WA Wildlife received 27 turtles, 21 of those were dead, two died in care and four were treated and released.
Data from
TurtleSAT for dead turtles (age unknown) during the same period:
- Little Rush Lake: 71
- Yangebup Lake: 54
- Bibra Lake: 27
WA Wildlife CEO Dean Huxley said a majority of the carcasses brought in by Turtle Tracker volunteers were of poor quality having been exposed to the elements and often falling apart in pieces, making it very difficult to determine their age, time or cause of death.
Conservation strategies are guided by data and expert research, such as turtle population studies from Murdoch University and the City is advocating for greater State Government involvement to improve fox control outcomes.
While fox control is critical, climate change is a major factor driving turtle vulnerability. Dry lakebeds not only make turtles easier for predators to find but also reduce their ability to burrow and escape. Effective fox control requires a regional effort, as foxes roam widely across council boundaries.