Endangered Manning River Turtles Returned To Wild
The release was delivered in collaboration with Western Sydney University and the Depart of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
This milestone comes as the second wild turtle release in Aussie Ark's 16-year history
In a nationally significant conservation milestone, Aussie Ark has released 21 captive-bred endangered Manning River Turtles into a wild NSW river, marking a major step in securing the future of one of Australia’s most threatened freshwater species.
The release was delivered in collaboration with Western Sydney University and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, with all turtles bred at Aussie Ark’s Conservation Ark facility in Somersby, NSW.
The cohort for release included eight sub-adult turtles hatched in the 2020 breeding season, and 13 juveniles hatched in 2024 and 2025.
The eight sub-adults were fitted with VHF transmitters, which will relay critical data, including distribution and survivability, for up to two years. It’s understood this is the very first time in history this technology has been used on this species, greatly deepening existing scientific knowledge about the Manning River Turtle in the wild.
The Manning River Turtle is one of three endangered freshwater species included in Aussie Ark’s nationally recognised breeding and rewilding program. The organisation has celebrated three successful breeding seasons of the species. The turtles were bred through Aussie Ark’s specialist conservation breeding program, where eggs are incubated and hatchlings raised until large enough to avoid predators such as foxes.
Over the past few months, the turtles earmarked for release have been conditioned for the wild, with reduced human contact and increased motivation to forage on their own.
The wild release occurred on the Barrington River, with the team identifying and using optimum sites relating to water depth and food availability. Attending the release were many VIP supporters, sponsors, donors and community members, including the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water’s Andrew Steed.
“What I’m witnessing is the first step of what I hope will be a long program, supplementing the endangered Manning River Turtle’s wild population,” Mr Steed said. “Aussie Ark is a really big player in the conservation of our endangered species. Apart from physically breeding animals for wild release, it does a fantastic job raising awareness about the situation of our endemic species and how they are challenged by so many threats. Most of these threats are caused by people. And this wild release is one way people can contribute back to the process of rebuilding our native stocks of endangered animals.”
In the wild, Manning River Turtle populations are being decimated by multiple threats, particularly feral fox predation. Foxes dig up and consume nests and will also kill young turtles, wiping out entire generations before they ever reach the river. Through its conservation breeding program, Aussie Ark removes this threat by incubating eggs and raising hatchlings until they are large enough to survive in the wild.
Aussie Ark Managing Director Tim Faulkner attended the release and was “super proud” of the team’s efforts.
“Freshwater turtles are among the most endangered species on earth,” Mr Faulkner said. “Manning River Turtles are suffering a death by a thousand cuts. Water quality, siltation, erosion, climate change, and, more than anything, the feral fox. Without interventions - like Aussie Ark’s breeding and rewilding program - species like this just disappear quietly.”
Keen to amplify the species’ predicament and progress is turtle “guru” Western Sydney University’s Professor Ricky Spencer. For the first time in history, Professor Spencer, assisted by PhD student Pham van Thong, will conduct telemetry using VHF technology.
“We are delving into the secret life of the Manning River Turtle,” Professor Spencer said. “We can find them using this technology for up to two years. We will be able to see where they go, what they do, and what they eat. We will be able to compare survival rates between larger and smaller turtles with science that can be applied to many other freshwater turtle species around the world. It really is pioneering work.”
Aussie Ark will continue monitoring its wild release cohort for many months to come, including updates on breeding and nesting success.
