By Mavia Haight | Grants Manager
They survived the dinosaurs, but turtles worldwide are facing a modern extinction crisis, with half of all species at risk of disappearing.
Once common from Baja California to Puget Sound, the small, long-lived western pond turtle (Actinemys marmorata) is listed as endangered in Washington and threatened in Oregon. The Oregon Zoo works with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to help restore this shy reptile to its historic range through a unique head-starting program. As a result, Western pond turtle numbers are on the rise.
With the help of Global Giving supporters, another group of Western Pond Turtles is getting their “head-start” at the Oregon Zoo this winter. 13 new turtles, along with 4 hold overs from last year, are currently basking in the warmth and light of a simulated summer. In the wild, hatchlings become dormant in the cold. But the enhanced light and warmth at the zoo stimulates them to continue to eat and grow.
And they are all growing quickly. The four hold overs who were hatched in September 2012 now weigh between 106-145 grams and the new hatchlings are 30-75 grams. They will likely be released in July or August of 2014. By this time, they will be large enough to have a fighting chance in the wild.
The turtles are raised in the conservation lab within the Pacific Northwest Exhibit of the Oregon Zoo, so visitors and zoo campers are able to observe their growth and learn more about this important conservation project.
On behalf of the turtles, zoo conservationists and our young learners, thank you!
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