00:00These researchers are waiting out to catch native freshwater turtles.
00:08But sights are rare.
00:12One in three Australian freshwater turtles is threatened with extinction,
00:16and the three species that we have here in the Lower Murray,
00:19the broad-shelled turtle, the eastern long-neck and the Murray River turtle,
00:23are all threatened in various parts of their range.
00:27Turtles are known as the vacuum cleaners of rivers.
00:32Experts are developing South Australia's first turtle management strategy
00:37to share knowledge and a plan to conserve the much-needed reptiles.
00:42They're really important in terms of ecosystem function,
00:46in that they eat carrion, the dead things that are in the water,
00:49and they play a really big part in maintaining water quality.
00:53The biggest threats are habitat loss, river regulation, drought and predation.
01:00In some places 100% of their nests get dug out by foxes,
01:03and that means the young ones just aren't getting in the system.
01:06Dogs are the latest recruits to help people protect turtle eggs from foxes.
01:12They are trained to sniff out nests.
01:15The dog's sense of smell is anywhere between 10,000 and 100,000 times better than our sense of smell.
01:21While turtles play an important role in protecting Australia's waterways,
01:26they're also culturally significant for First Nations people.
01:30They are in our dreaming. They are our knowledge keepers.
01:34They are our scientists, our environmentalists.
01:38They are everything in culture.
01:41Walk to the other one and check the other one.
01:44Lucy Sumner is part of a team raising awareness about turtle conservation.
01:49It's important that we keep their wetland and any area that they inhabit.
01:56Come back in now.
01:58Also, you know, just to be wary about them.
02:00And if they see one, if it needs help, help it.
02:05It's an eye-opening experience for these students.
02:09Searching for nests and finding out how to protect turtles.
02:14It makes me want to go out there and help because knowing that you can find turtle eggs and help protect them, it's really good.
02:23Banding together to develop future custodians of native reptiles.
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