Dump knowledge, not pets! Turtles found in Tjoritja/ West MacDonnell National Park
As people leave Alice Springs for the Summer, the number of pets dumped in our National Parks increase.
Tell your friends: pet turtles are a lifelong commitment.
If you live in Central Australia, you may have heard rumours of a ninja turtle living in Ellery Creek Big Hole that has been evading capture, possibly because the waterhole is over 20 metres deep!
Turtles are not native to Central Australia, so if you see a turtle in a waterhole, most likely it was dumped there by a human.
When Senior Wildlife Ranger Phill was put on the case, he captured the critter but found out there’s more than one turtle lurking in Ellery Creek.
Then just last week, NT Parks and Wildlife received reports of another turtle dumped at Simpsons Gap.
Pet turtles can live anywhere between 25 to 60 years and when introduced to the wild, they negatively impact our aquatic ecosystems through erosion and outcompeting our native wildlife, such as fish and frogs.
Earlier this year, Park Rangers also found guppies in Emily Gap waterhole.
Pet owners may think they are giving the tiny fish a better life, however, introducing pet fish into our waterways also introduces harmful diseases that native fish species would not otherwise contract.
In addition, many fish species in the pet trade can outcompete our native fishes.
As residents of Central Australia will know, permanent waterholes are scarce in the desert and need to be protected for all plant and animal life.
As people leave town for the summer, this is a timely reminder that dumping pets in national parks can earn you a fine of over $1200.
Instead of dumping pets in the wild, contact your local pet shop or our Wildlife Rangers by calling:
