Wildlife relocated as work on park, lake commences

More than 90 long-necked turtles, three frogs, a sand monitor and an echidna have been relocated from Piesse Lake reserve to ensure they are not harmed while the area is redeveloped.

Work started last month to transform the area into a community park and lake.

Geraldton-based fauna relocator Darren Darch was been on site from Monday, September 31 until Thursday, October 3.

Mr Darch had expected to find only around 20 turtles at the site and was amazed to have found that amount on his first day on the job.

“It’s fantastic to see such a large population of the wildlife,” he said.

“It was hard to determine how many we would find, but I am blown away by the number of turtles here.”

The animals were relocated to an undisclosed location to ensure they were protected.

There are plans for the turtles to be brought back to the area once the Piesse Lake redevelopment is complete.

However, Mr Darch and his team had only relocated three frogs and one tadpole during their four-day stint in Katanning.

“In an area this size I would have expected to find more than 100 frogs in just a couple of hours,” he said.

“Frogs are an indicator species that hint at the health of waterway systems.”

Mr Darch cited weedkiller and fertiliser runoff entering the waterways as possible causes of the low frog numbers.

Mr Darch also urged residents to be on the lookout for snakes as the months begin to warm up, and to contact a ranger.