Joondalup’s initial April 2025 commitment to investigate more fox control was followed by a specific joint plan: eight control rounds at Yellagonga Regional Park between November 2025 and August 2026. The announcement came after two fox cubs were blamed for the deaths of 68 Southwestern snake-necked turtles. The reported carcass count is not a survey of the park’s turtle population, and the available reporting does not establish whether the expanded control improved turtle survival.
What happened at Yellagonga?
In April 2025, PerthNow reported that two fox cubs were blamed for the deaths of 68 Southwestern snake-necked turtles at Yellagonga Regional Park. The report prompted Joondalup to agree to investigate increased ongoing fox-control activity with the City of Wanneroo and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA), following a motion at an electors’ meeting. The reported count describes the incident, not a park-wide population assessment; the sources available here do not include a public forensic report. PerthNow’s 2025 report
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Joondalup Mayor Albert Jacob said the city would investigate the potential for increased control and bring a report back to council later that year. That was a commitment to investigate, not proof that a particular control program had already been approved or carried out. A more detailed joint program was reported the following year.
What fox-control action followed?
In March 2026, PerthNow reported that Joondalup, Wanneroo and DBCA had agreed to eight fox-control rounds from November 2025 through August 2026. The report compared this schedule with three rounds in 2024 and two in 2023. DBCA was reported as saying that 22 foxes had been removed in the first four months of the current program. These are measures of planned activity and reported removals—not evidence by themselves of a park-wide reduction in foxes or improved turtle survival. PerthNow’s 2026 update
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The City’s March 2026 council material describes a broader response. The Saving Our Snake-necked Turtle program, delivered with Wanneroo, DBCA and Murdoch University from 2022–23 to 2024–25, transitioned to a community-led approach. City support includes ongoing turtle monitoring, community education, Friends Group support, targeted nest protection, habitat restoration and intensified fox control. City of Joondalup council material, March 2026
Why is fox control difficult in an urban regional park?
Yellagonga is not an isolated reserve: foxes can move across bushland and land managed by different owners. A DBCA spokesperson, quoted by PerthNow in 2026, described rapid reinvasion as a major challenge because foxes have large home ranges and move easily across mixed land tenures. The spokesperson also said domestic animals and busy visitor areas limit control options in urban settings. Those constraints help explain why agencies use repeated, coordinated work rather than treating one removal count as a lasting solution. PerthNow’s 2026 update
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The figures show that the 2025–26 schedule was more frequent than the two preceding years cited in the report, but they do not establish which control method works best. The reviewed material does not provide a controlled evaluation of fox numbers or turtle survival before and after the program. The program’s review was reported as due at the end of its term in September 2026; no outcome of that review is established here.
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The Southwestern snake-necked turtle, Chelodina oblonga, is also called the oblong or long-necked turtle. The City gives its Noongar names as Yaakan and Booyi and describes it as the only local native turtle species in the Yellagonga wetlands. City of Joondalup turtle guidance
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Foxes are one pressure among several. The City also identifies road traffic, habitat loss, water quality and a drying climate as threats. Turtle conservation therefore involves protecting nesting sites and habitat as well as managing predators; fox control alone cannot address every cause of decline. The City reported that its 2023 turtle-tracking program saved 145 nests and 294 nesting females. Those are program-reported results, not an estimate of the park’s turtle population. City of Joondalup turtle-tracking update
Spring nesting and movement
The City says nesting generally takes place from September through November. Females may cross paths and roads to reach nesting sites, while adults, nests and hatchlings can face predation. Residents should be especially alert for turtles and hatchlings on roads and paths during nesting movements and hatchling seasons. City of Joondalup turtle guidance
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What residents can do
- Report fox sightings. The City advises residents to report them to the City and the DBCA Regional Parks Unit. Do not try to trap, bait or relocate foxes yourself.
- Record turtle observations. Use TurtleSAT to log sightings, including observations of turtles on roads or paths.
- Keep dogs leashed and away from turtles and nests. This reduces disturbance and helps protect wildlife in areas where turtles are moving or nesting.
- Support local conservation groups. The City points residents to Friends of Yellagonga Regional Park and Woodvale Waters Friends of Beenyup Channel.
- Seek advice about injured or orphaned turtles. Contact the wildlife-care services listed in the City’s guidance rather than attempting to handle or relocate an animal yourself. City of Joondalup turtle guidance City of Joondalup wildlife-care information
What the reported numbers do—and do not—show
| Reported figure | What it means |
|---|---|
| 68 turtles reported dead in 2025 | PerthNow reported that two fox cubs were blamed for the Yellagonga incident. This is an incident count, not a population survey. Source |
| Eight rounds, November 2025–August 2026 | The joint schedule reported in March 2026; PerthNow cited three rounds in 2024 and two in 2023 for comparison. Planned effort does not demonstrate ecological effectiveness. Source |
| 22 foxes removed in the first four months | A DBCA figure quoted by PerthNow in 2026. It records removals, not a measured change in park-wide fox abundance. Source |
| 145 nests and 294 nesting females saved | Results reported by the City for its 2023 turtle-tracking program; not a population estimate. Source |
The central unanswered question is whether coordinated control and turtle-specific measures lead to better survival over time. The reported plans and activity counts establish that agencies stepped up their response; they do not answer that ecological-outcome question.
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