Home ranges of Fitzroy River turtles (Rheodytes leukops) overlap riffle zones: potential concerns related to river regulation Original Research Article

Ten Fitzroy River Turtles (Rheodytes leukops) were followed by radio telemetry near the type locality. Robust estimates of female home ranges (for >10 fixes) spanned a range that approximated the average distance from a riffle zone. Home range estimates (for all local fixes) averaged 2.4 ha by the minimum convex polygon method, 4.0 ha by a 90% core-weighted kernel method, and 417 m for the range span. A long distance excursion was recorded for a female that travelled 6.8 km downstream and eventually returned to the riffle zone after six months. Sixty-two percent of locations for females tracked in the 1997 dry season were in depths <1.1 m. Mean movement rate was 20 m/day (95% confidence interval 10–30 m/day, range 0–350 m/day). Mean distance to the closest riffle was 310 m (95% confidence interval 280–340 m, range 0–700 m). The findings raise conservation concern about loss of riffle habitats, which this endemic and vulnerable turtle was associated with throughout the year.