The effectiveness of short-term fox control in protecting a seasonally vulnerable species, the eastern long-necked turtle (Chelodina longicollis)

Published source details Robley A., Howard K., Lindeman M., Cameron R., Jardine A. & Hiscock D. (2016) The effectiveness of short-term fox control in protecting a seasonally vulnerable species, the eastern long-necked turtle (Chelodina longicollis). Ecological Management & Restoration, 17, 63-69.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Remove or control predators using lethal controls: Tortoises, terrapins, side-necked & softshell turtles Action Link

Remove or control predators using lethal controls: Tortoises, terrapins, side-necked & softshell turtles

A before-and-after study in 2014–2015 around four lakes in northwest Victoria, Australia (Robley et al. 2016) found that short-term fox Vulpes vulpes control did not reduce predation on artificial eastern long-necked turtle Chelodina longicollis nests. The number of artificial nests predated by foxes was similar following short term fox control (78 of 95, 82% of nests) compared to before control (59 of 70, 84%). In November 2014, twenty-one days of fox control was implemented by burying baits (1080/sodium monofluoroacetate) across 175 bait stations (25,000 ha site). Artificial nests were randomly placed around 14 sites along the shores of four lakes in sandy soil, 5–30 m from the lake's edge (70 nests pre-control; 95 nests post-control). Each nest consisted of a hand-dug boot-shaped chamber 10–15 cm deep with five quail eggs sprayed with water from captive turtle ponds and covered with sand and surface litter. Nests were inspected four times (up to 35–41 days after construction) for signs of predation by foxes.

(Summarised by: Maggie Watson, William Morgan)