Current thinking is that the major underlying cause of turtle declines is predation on eggs and nesting females by foxes. There are also many other factors that contribute to the problem include deaths on roads, death in fish traps and from hook and line fishing, habitat changes from water management, drowning in water regulation structures, the effects of pesticides, salinity and polychaete worms, direct (competition) and indirect (reduction of ribbon weed) influences of the introduction of European carp, and probably other factors. The extended drought of the early 2000’s exacerbated many of these problems, resulting in disease and a decline in numbers. Current dry weather across Queensland and NSW is also likely to adversely affect turtles and other aquatic life.