Bellinger River snapping turtle

This species is listed as critically endangered after a virus, now known as the Bellinger River virus, caused mass mortality of the turtles in early 2015. An estimated 90% of the population was wiped out in just 6 weeks.

Under the Saving our Species program, the NSW Government is funding several actions to conserve the Bellinger River snapping turtle, including:

• captive breeding
• regular monitoring of the remaining wild population
• restoring and improving habitat in the upper Bellinger River
• a citizen science program to track water quality across the catchment
• research into genetics, population dynamics and the virus.

Find out more about the Bellinger River snapping turtle conservation project and ways you can help at Keeping up with the Bellinger River snapping turtle.

Did you know?

A rapid response by the NSW Government and partners during the virus outbreak in 2015 had 17 healthy turtles placed into a captive breeding program managed by Taronga Zoo. The turtles are breeding, and the program has since expanded to include Symbio Wildlife Park.

Since 2018, the NSW Government has managed the trial release and monitoring of 179 captive-bred juvenile Bellinger River snapping turtles. Without this, the species would likely become extinct in the wild.

The Saving our Species program leads the delivery of the Bellinger River snapping turtle project.

The project relies on the contributions of the following project partners and stakeholders:

• Taronga Conservation Society Australia
• Symbio Wildlife Park; Chessman Ecology
• Australian Registry of Wildlife Health
• NSW Department of Primary Industries (Virology)
• OzGREEN
• North Coast Local Land Services
• Bellinger Landcare
• Bellingen Shire Council
• Western Sydney University
• University of New South Wales
• University of Canberra
• contractors and volunteers
• landholders and the local community, including over 50 private landholders who have provided the program with access to the Bellinger and Kalang rivers.