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Track turtle sightings in a new web app to help species across the Albany region

Headshot of Sarah Makse
Sarah MakseAlbany Advertiser
A baby turtle near Lake Seppings.
Camera IconA baby turtle near Lake Seppings. Credit: Liam Croy / Albany Advertiser

Turtles are on the move in Albany, and now the community can help track the region’s growing population through a specially designed web app.

The City of Albany is on the lookout for citizen scientists to lodge turtle sightings via its new Albany Freshwater Turtle web app to help identify and better protect nesting hotspots across the region.

The app aims to gather information about the South Western snake-necked turtle, a species considered near-threatened, according to the International Union for Conservation and Nature.

Turtle season is currently under way in Albany, with females making their way across busy roads to find nesting sites.

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City chief executive Andrew Sharpe said the app was an innovative way to protect local freshwater turtles.

“Our capabilities with mapping through the GIS platform have allowed us to become more efficient and accurate in our efforts to protect our precious wildlife across our region,” he said.

“This web app is aimed at developing a better understanding of where our freshwater turtle populations occur, allowing us to be more targeted in our approach to road signage in these hotspots.”

Visit albany.wa.gov.au/albanyfresh waterturtle.

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