34 rare tortoises released into wild

• Western Swamp Tortoises released into Twin Swamps Nature Reserve
• More than 570 of the species bred at Perth Zoo since 1987

Western Australia's success in saving one of the world's rarest tortoises has reached another conservation milestone with the weekend release of 34 juvenile western swamp tortoises into Twin Swamps Nature Reserve in Perth's northern suburbs.

Environment Minister Bill Marmion said the release was part of the State's recovery plan to increase the chance of survival for Australia's most endangered reptile.

"The plan has exceeded all expectations with more than 570 captive-bred tortoises released since the recovery program commenced in 1990," Mr Marmion said.

"We have certainly come a long way from the 1960s to the early 1980s, when there were only two known and monitored wild populations of the species at Twin Swamps and another near Bullsbrook at Ellen Brook nature reserves."

The Minister said significant headway had been made in increasing the numbers of wild western swamp tortoises in Western Australia.

"The release at Twin Swamps Nature Reserve is the 12th translocation at the reserve since 1994 to supplement the existing wild population," he said.

"Habitat modifications at the reserve have been undertaken by the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) to improve conditions for the tortoises in a drying climate. These include the supplementation of natural swamp habitats with groundwater if rainfall levels over winter are inadequate.

"As a result of these improvements, we have recently recorded the first evidence of natural recruitment at Twin Swamps Nature Reserve with one hatchling and one juvenile discovered in December 2011. Only one juvenile was discovered before in 2003."

      Fact File

• Before release, tortoises weighed, measured and marked to ensure their growth and progress in the reserve could be monitored
• Captive-bred western swamp tortoises were previously released at Twin Swamps Nature Reserve from 1994 to 2002; in 2005 and in August 2011
• Western Swamp Tortoise Recovery Program co-ordinated by DEC, in partnership with Perth Zoo, The University of Western Australia and the Friends of the Western Swamp Tortoise community group

Minister's office - 6552 6800