Western Swamp Tortoise
Pseudemydura umbrina

The Western Swamp Tortoise is a short-necked freshwater tortoise. It is considered to be a relict species as it has apparently changed little from fossils dating back to the Miocene, discovered at Riversleigh in Queensland.

Western Swamp Tortoise have only been recorded from scattered localities in a narrow, three to five km strip of the Swan Coastal Plain in Western Australia. In the 1960s and 1980s, there were two significant populations, one at Twin Swamps Nature Reserve and another at Ellen Brook Nature Reserves. These reserves were created in 1962 to protect the tortoise's habitat. By 1985, the population at Twin Swamps was extinct.

Perth Zoo has held Western Swamp Tortoises since 1964 when captive breeding was attempted in a low key, non-interventionist way up until 1979. Success was low.

In 1988, a captive breeding program at Perth Zoo was initiated by Dr Gerald Kuchling of the University of Western Australia. This program is also supported by DEC (formerly CALM), Environment Australia and the World Wide Fund for Nature Australia.

Since 1989, 681 tortoises have been successfully reared at Perth Zoo with more than 430 returned to the wild.

The Western Swamp Tortoise is currently classified as Critically Endangered.

Check out the fact sheet! 

Other sources:
www.calm.wa.gov.au/plants_animals/pdf_files/sp_western_swamp_tortoise.pdf