It’s A Shellebration: Endangered Baby Turtles Hatch At Zoo

The four tiny turtles are the first of this rare species to hatch at zoo’s conservation lab

In the Oregon Zoo’s conservation lab, four tiny hatchlings have come out of their shells. The nickel-sized western pond turtles, which came to the lab as eggs earlier this month, are the first of this endangered species to hatch in the zoo’s conservation lab.

“We head-start baby western pond turtles in our lab and release them each year, but those turtles have already hatched when they’re brought in,” said Steve Hash, a keeper in the zoo’s reptile and amphibian area. “We had an adult western pond turtle in the lab for treatment last month and surprise! She laid a clutch of eggs.”

To see one of the baby turtles hatching from its shell, go to: bit.ly/tinyturtlehatch

In addition to rearing turtle hatchlings for release, Hash and his fellow turtle keepers treat adult turtles brought to the lab with shell disease, an emerging condition that causes lesions on the otherwise hard shells of western pond turtles. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife brought a small group of turtles to the zoo in May, where they were successfully treated. The adults were released back to the wild, but the surprise hatchlings will stay in the lab until they’re big enough to fend for themselves.

“We have everything we need to raise these baby turtles here,” Hash said. “They’re already eating well and growing fast, which is just what they need to do to get ready to go out in the wild.”

Unlike recovery programs for other endangered species like California condors or Taylor’s checkerspot butterflies — which take place offsite or behind the scenes — this conservation effort is easy to see. Oregon Zoo visitors can watch the small turtles as they grow inside the zoo’s Nature Exploration Station.

The western pond turtle, once common from Baja California to the Puget Sound, is listed as an endangered species in Washington and a sensitive species in Oregon. Two decades ago, western pond turtles were on the verge of completely dying out in Washington, with fewer than 100 turtles left in the state. Since then, more than 1,500 zoo-headstarted turtles have been released.

The Western Pond Turtle Recovery Project is a collaborative effort by the Oregon Zoo, Woodland Park Zoo, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bonneville Power Administration, USDA Forest Service and other partners.

As part of the Metro family, the Oregon Zoo helps make greater Portland a great place to call home. Committed to conservation, the zoo is currently working to save endangered California condors, Oregon silverspot and Taylor’s checkerspot butterflies, western pond turtles and northern leopard frogs. Other projects focused on saving animals from extinction include studies on polar bears, orangutans and cheetahs.

Support from the Oregon Zoo Foundation enhances and expands the zoo’s efforts in conservation, education and animal welfare. Members, donors and corporate and foundation partners help the zoo make a difference across the region and around the world.

The zoo opens at 9:30 a.m. daily and is located five minutes from downtown Portland, just off Highway 26. The zoo is also accessible by MAX light rail line. Visitors who travel to the zoo via MAX receive $1.50 off zoo admission. Call TriMet Customer Service, 503-238-RIDE (7433), or visit trimet.org for fare and route information