Recovery Partners

Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions

Western Australia’s Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions has primary responsibility for managing the state’s national parks, marine parks, State forests and other reserves, for conserving and protecting native animals and plants, and for managing many aspects of the access to and use of the state’s wildlife and natural areas.

Perth Zoo

A key partner of the Recovery Team for the Western Swamp Tortoise is the Perth Zoo, who not only look after the breeding adults unsuitable for release in the wild, but produce hatchlings each year in a Captive Breeding Program for us to release, increasing wild numbers. They also host our Annual General Meeting and spoil us with a “Behind the Scenes” tour of the WST breeding facility, which is not open to the public.

Track Care

In 2019 Track Care approached the Department of Biodiversity , Conservation and Attractions and the Friends Group to support the establishment of a campground and living area in a newly purchased extension to a wetland in Moore River. After site works have been completed, the wetland will be a further release site for captive-bred Western Swamp Tortoises.

World Wide Fund for Nature Threatened Species Unit

Working with the community to stop plants and animals from disappearing is what the Threatened Species Network (TSN) is all about. TSN is a partnership between WWF-Australia and the Australian Government.

University of Western Australia, Zoology Department

UWA Zoology offers coursework and research opportunities in neurobiology, animal industry, ecology, wildlife conservation, evolutionary biology and zoology.

Several postgraduate degree candidates have completed research on different aspects of the Western Swamp Tortoise. One such is below…

Sophie Arnall – Faculty of Science, School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia PhD Thesis. ‘Ecoenergetics of the Western Swamp Tortoise: Modelling the Translocation Viability of Australia’s Rarest Reptile’ This research aims to address how we can pinpoint the sites where threatened species are most likely to survive under future climates, by modelling the fundamental niche of the Western Swamp Tortoise under multiple climate scenarios.

Adelaide Zoo and Monarto Zoo

Adelaide Zoo is home to over 1,800 animals and almost 300 species of exotic and native mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and fish exhibited in magnificent botanic surroundings now expanded to 8 hectares. It is home to an insurance colony of Western Swamp Tortoises that are originally from Perth Zoo.