Bundaberg Regional Council staff have come to the assistance of 12 freshwater turtle hatchlings that were discovered stranded on a pathway in the Botanic Gardens recently.
A staff member was taking a walk during lunch and spotted something, no bigger than a 50 cent piece, moving on the ground.
Upon looking back, it was then she noticed more tiny turtles on the path and in harm's way.
A nest was then located nearby, on the edge of the Japanese Gardens, which led to the Krefft's turtle hatchlings wandering out into the open.
Staff were quick to gather the turtles in a box before relocating them to a nearby lagoon where they were released.
Coordinator of the Botanic Gardens Cody Johnson said Krefft’s turtles nest between October and January and were a common sight at the gardens.
“Krefft’s Turtles (Emydura macquarii krefftii) have a yellow stripe on the face and they are the most commonly seen turtle in the lagoons,” he said.
“We do have other species of turtle in the gardens including the broad-shelled turtle (Chelodina expansa), which has the longest neck of any turtle in the world.”
He said for anyone who came across turtle hatchlings at the Botanic Gardens, it was best to leave them be.
“Native turtles are protected and cannot be taken from the wild or kept as pets,” he said.
“If baby turtles are found far from water bodies and the public believe they need assistance to get to the water they can contact 1300 ANIMAL – the RSPCA hotline otherwise just observe them and ensure they get across a road or pathway safely.”
