WCTTAA celebrates first female rangers accredited in aerial shooting
Four Western Cape Turtle Threat Abatement Alliance (WCTTAA) rangers have completed their aerial shooting accreditation, giving Indigenous ranger teams greater capacity to carry out feral pig control and protect marine turtles on Cape York Peninsula.
The newly accredited aerial shooters are Napranum Ranger Coordinator Marietta Matasia, Apudthama Ranger Coordinator Angelina Williams and Mapoon Rangers Gregory Hudson and Edwin Ling.
The achievement marks an important milestone for WCTTAA, with Marietta Matasia and Angelina Williams becoming the Alliance's first female rangers to achieve aerial shooting accreditation and the first women from their respective communities accredited as aerial shooters.
Cape York NRM's Marine Turtle Conservation Program Lead Dr Manuela Fischer said the achievement represented a significant step forward for Indigenous ranger teams.
“I am incredibly proud that the first female WCTTAA rangers have now been trained and accredited in aerial shooting. Their success demonstrates the growing leadership, skills and opportunities for female rangers working in land and sea management and acts as an inspiration for future generations of rangers,” Dr Fischer said.
Apudthama Ranger Coordinator Angelina Williams said the training strengthened both her skills and confidence.
"I learnt a lot from a really good trainer. We covered how to be safe in the aircraft, and it was awesome to train alongside the other rangers," Ms Williams said.
The three-day intensive training was held from 21 to 23 June at Billy’s Lagoon on Napranum Country and was delivered by Shaun Seymour from Seymour Out Bush and experienced instructor Mark Lane.
The accreditation follows more than two years of planning and preparation since the project commenced in May 2024. Rangers completed training in humane destruction of animals, firearms safety, licensing requirements and mentored aerial shooting operations.
Trainer Shaun Seymour said the training was designed to give rangers plenty of hands-on experience before undertaking aerial shooting operations.
"The course has a structured format, but we build on that to ensure the rangers receive extensive practical training. We spend a lot of time on the ground developing weapon handling skills, making sure the rangers are familiar with the firearms and can work safely and effectively with the pilot," Mr Seymour said.
Until now, aerial feral animal control has relied primarily on external contractors travelling to Country to undertake the work. With more WCTTAA rangers now accredited, this work can increasingly be delivered by local ranger groups, helping them respond more efficiently to feral animal management needs.
Feral pigs are a major threat to marine turtle nesting success across western Cape York, where they can destroy large numbers of turtle nests and eggs in a single season. During the most recent nesting season, WCTTAA culled 7,493 feral pigs as part of ongoing efforts to reduce threats to turtle populations.
WCTTAA is a partnership of Indigenous land and sea owners and managers from Apudthama Land Trust and the Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council, Napranum Aboriginal Shire Council, Mapoon, Pormpuraaw, Aak Puul Ngantam Cape York, and Kowanyama.
Sustained efforts by WCTTAA have reduced turtle nest predation to sustainable levels on many western Cape York beaches. This work includes monitoring nesting sites and hatchling success, controlling feral pigs through aerial and ground operations, and protecting nests with aluminium cages.
WCTTAA is supported by Cape York NRM through funding from the Australian and Queensland governments’ Nest to Ocean Turtle Protection Program and the Threatened Species On Country Program. It is also supported by Rio Tinto's Western Cape Community Development Fund.
