PREVIEW

Conservationists say they are "shaking with excitement" after the discovery that a critically endangered turtle has laid eggs for the first time as part of a captive breeding program. The achievement marks a significant milestone in the effort to preserve the species.

The Manning River turtle is native to the Manning River on the NSW Mid North Coast, but its population has dwindled to critically low levels, primarily due to the depredation of nesting sites by foxes and pigs. To combat the looming threat of extinction, a conservation program was initiated after the devastating Black Summer bushfires of 2019-20. This initiative was spearheaded by the conservation organizations Aussie Ark and the Australian Reptile Park, located on the NSW Central Coast.

During the period, Aussie Ark rescued several mature wild turtles from shrinking river pools and recovered wild eggs. The breeding program has been under the dedicated stewardship of Aussie Ark's Hayley Shute and operations manager Billy Collett since its inception. In the previous year, several turtles were successfully reintroduced into the wild.

The discovery that one of the turtles had laid eggs was met with immense joy and excitement. Hayley Shute described it as "an early Christmas present" and highlighted the meticulous work and expertise that had gone into achieving this momentous event. It involved specialized nutrition, water monitoring, and the creation of ideal nesting sites. The process also required careful observation of behaviour cues and the introduction of female turtles to males.

Approximately a month ago, it was confirmed that four Manning River turtle females were carrying eggs. Shute and her team had been diligently monitoring them day and night, anxiously awaiting the egg-laying moment. Recent weather conditions, characterised by high humidity, rain, and heat, created the perfect conditions for turtle nesting, resulting in the female turtle laying her eggs precisely on schedule.

The eggs were carefully transferred to an incubator, where temperature and humidity can be controlled, ensuring a stable environment for the two-month incubation period. Shute and Billy Collett, who had poured their hearts into this endeavour, eagerly await the hatching of the eggs, likening their anticipation to that of nervous parents awaiting the birth of their children.

After hatching, the juvenile turtles will receive care at the Aussie Ark Conservation Ark facility near Barrington Tops for one year. Following this period, they will be released into the wild as part of ongoing efforts to bolster the population of juvenile and breeding-age turtles. Last year, Aussie Ark marked a significant milestone by releasing ten turtles from the program back into the Manning River, a moment that Shute eagerly anticipates repeating in the future.