TURTLE OBLONGA RESCUE & REHABILITATION​ NETWORK
  • About us
    • What we do
    • Objectives
    • History
    • Patron & Committee
    • Rescue, Rehabilitation and Release stories
  • FACT SHEETS
    • Taxonomy, Anatomy, Size & Habitat
    • Diet, Life cycle, Longevity and Evolution
    • Oblong Turtle v Western Swamp Turtle
    • Turtle or Tortoise?
    • Threats
    • FAQs
  • Get involved
    • How to help
    • Become a Member
    • Donate
    • What to do if you admit a turtle
    • What to do if you find a Turtle
    • What to do if you find other wildlife
  • Store
    • Special Gift Donations
  • Resources
    • Children's Books
    • Reference Books
    • Documents & Publications
    • Press Releases
    • In the Media
    • Turtle Photo Gallery
    • Links
  • Contact

Patron & Committee

Our Patron

​We are extremely honoured that the renowned turtle scientist, Gerald Kuchling, has agreed to be our Patron.​

Read more about Gerald online. 

Committee 

The Committee comprises members with a variety of relevant experience and includes administrators,  veterinarians, vet nurses, wildlife volunteers & rehabilitators who are affiliated with a number of wildlife centres across Perth.

COMMITEE MEMBERS

Karen PYE  

​Committee Member (2013-Present), ​Chair (2014-Present)
KP as she is affectionately known joined the Committee in 2013 and became our Chair in 2014.  
KP is a Stage 3 turtle carer and also looks after hatchlings. 

Brandon ARNELL

Committee Member (2017-Present)
Brandon joined the TORRN Committee in 2017 and is one of our hatchling carers.  He has been one of our turtle taxis for a number of years and helps to maintain our presence online via the website.  

Karen CAVANOUGH  

Committee Member (2011-Present), Membership Secretary (2011-2015),  Home Care Coordinator (2014-Present)​​​​
Karen is the network's Home Care Coordinator and is one of our Stage 1 turtle carers.  Karen is our North Metro rescue coordinator; keeps our incident register up to date and also helps to maintain our presence online via Facebook.  
​
Karen has completed various qualifications including the Certificate III in Captive Animals; Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing; Bachelor of Science in Biological Science/Conservation & Wildlife Biology and a post-graduate qualification in Captive Vertebrate Management.  Karen currently works 
as a Zoo Keeper within the Native Species Breeding Program at Perth Zoo and has also worked as a Veterinary Nurse.   

Deborah LAVIGNE

Committee Member (2014-2017, 2019-Present), Membership Secretary (2016-2017)
Deb is one of our turtle taxis, a Stage 1 turtle carer and also helped to maintain our Facebook presence. 

Deborah studied a Bachelor of Zoology at James Cook University in Townsville.  She was a member of North Queensland Wildlife Care and cared for marsupials and reptiles and became the turtle coordinator.  Wildlife has been her passion for a long time and she is hoping to become a Vet.  Deborah has been working with animals most of her life.  She has worked as a Vet Nurse for over 25 years and travelled extensively working with animals. She is currently studying veterinary science.  
​

Tanya MARWOOD

Committee Member (2017-Present)
Tanya joined the TORRN Committee in 2017.  She has been one of our turtle taxis for a number of years and has cared for hatchlings at home; she is our East Metro rescue coordinator and also helps to maintain our Facebook presence. 
​
Tanya has been involved in wildlife care for many years, including working in the hospital at Kanyana Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, acting as a carer and ‘cocky taxi’ at Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Conservation Centre, advising callers on the Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions "Wildcare Helpline" and being Vice-chair of the Friends of the Western Swamp Tortoise community group.

Kylie WEBSTER   

​​Committee Member (2015-Present), Treasurer (2017-Present)
Kylie joined the TORRN Committee in 2015 and has taken on the role of Treasurer on our Executive.  
​Kylie helps to care for turtle hatchlings and also helps to maintain our Facebook presence. ​

Former Committee 

Founding  Members

Ruth Haight (2011-2014)       
Dianne Hunter (2011-2016)  

Former  Members

​​Tegan Box (2015-2019)
June Butcher (2011-2013)     
​Sarah Cameron (2015-2017)                    
​Michelle Hazelwood (2011-2015)    

Dianne Munrowd (2011-2012)                    
​Amy Northover (2011-2016)
​​Sue Rose (2012)
​
Sandy Shailes (2014-2015)
Carla Tassone (2012-2016)
Barbara Wright (2012-2013)

Former Member Profiles

Ruth HAIGHT

Picture
Chair/Secretary (2011-2014)  
Ruth was a founding member of TORRN and was our Chair/Secretary until she relocated to Albany with her husband.

Ruth's former life as a vet nurse / laboratory technician / dairy farm hand / dishwasher / world traveller / mother progressed to wildlife carer in the mid 1980’s and I instantly became an incurable addict.  Her best experiences include (there are too many to list all).
  • Swimming with dozens of water dragons at Tunnel Creek in northern WA.
  • Washing dead turtle hatchlings that sprang into life in my hands.
  • Helping deliver 3 baby bobtails by caesarean section from a dead mother (2 survived).
  • Reading Life in a Shell for the first time – mind blowing!
  • My first turtle hatchling rehab case - Mighty Mouse.
  • Watching a green turtle release at the beach near Reef HQ turtle hospital, Townsville.
  • Enjoying the camaraderie and support of the talented TORRN committee.
  • Learning anatomy from the dead.
  • Finding an aestervating turtle, months after I thought he had escaped.
  • Watching wild animals expressing their normal behaviour.

Dr Amy NORTHOVER

Picture
​Committee Member (2012-2016), Membership Secretary (2015-2016)
Although Amy is no longer on the Committee, she continues to provides us with veterinary advice for sick and injured turtles.  

​Amy is a registered veterinary surgeon who holds a Masters degree in Conservation medicine. During her undergraduate and post-graduate training Amy has gained invaluable experience working with a variety of native and exotic wildlife species within Zoos and wildlife facilities across Australia.  ​In her previous role as an associate veterinarian at Halls Head Small Animal Clinic, Amy had the opportunity to work with native species referred to the clinic from Mandurah Wildlife Rescue and WA Seabird Rescue.  

At the end of 2013, Amy's passion for wildlife conservation lead her back to Murdoch University to start a PhD project entitled "The ecology of parasite transmission in fauna translocations". In collaboration with the Department of Parks and Wildlife, Amy investigated how fauna translocations impact the transmission of parasites in the critically endangered woylie (Bettongia penicillata). 
In addition to her involvement with TORRN, Amy was also a treatment volunteer at Kanyana Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre (8+ years) and contributed to the education, mentoring and training of other volunteers.


If you find a sick or injured turtle, please contact one of our emergency turtle rescue numbers

Perth metropolitan areas
East                     0424 727 411
South                   0424 727 624
North                   0414 476 867

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  • About us
    • What we do
    • Objectives
    • History
    • Patron & Committee
    • Rescue, Rehabilitation and Release stories
  • FACT SHEETS
    • Taxonomy, Anatomy, Size & Habitat
    • Diet, Life cycle, Longevity and Evolution
    • Oblong Turtle v Western Swamp Turtle
    • Turtle or Tortoise?
    • Threats
    • FAQs
  • Get involved
    • How to help
    • Become a Member
    • Donate
    • What to do if you admit a turtle
    • What to do if you find a Turtle
    • What to do if you find other wildlife
  • Store
    • Special Gift Donations
  • Resources
    • Children's Books
    • Reference Books
    • Documents & Publications
    • Press Releases
    • In the Media
    • Turtle Photo Gallery
    • Links
  • Contact