Perth Voice Interactive

TINY turtles raised by the villagers of Bayswater have been released back into nature.

The eggs were laid in Deborah Bowie’s backyard, just near the Carter Wetland in Bayswater and hatched in September.

But with the neighbouring wetlands partially cleared for a housing development, the locals stepped up to help raise the wee testudines by collecting mosquito larva for them to eat.

They became tiny mascots in the struggle to save the remaining wetlands, their little likenesses appearing on signs and flyers calling for action.

With locals providing food guidance from the Turtle Oblonga and Rehabilitation Network, the hatchlings doubled in weight (and some chubby bubbies almost tripled from 8 grams to 23).

On October 11, Ms Bowie and friends released them back into the wild. She said with their home still under threat of further a housing development they were sent to a neighbouring suburb known as a turtle habitat.

by DAVID BELL