PREVIEW

An Australian conservation group is celebrating the successful hatching of eggs from three of its endangered freshwater turtle species.

The significant achievement is part of Aussie Ark's breeding and rewilding efforts for the Manning River, Bell's River, and Hunter River turtles.

Throughout the summer, these species successfully mated and laid eggs.

Aussie Ark initially reported the count of eggs during Easter and protected them in a specialised incubator at the Conservation Ark facility, situated within the Australian Reptile Park in Somersby, NSW.

Currently, 72 of these eggs have successfully hatched.

Hayley Shute, the Conservation Manager who has overseen the program from the start, is delighted with the outcome, describing it as ‘the most impressive reproductive success’ Aussie Ark has witnessed with its freshwater turtles.

“It’s an unbelievable joy to hold a baby Bell’s Turtle! This is the stuff dreams are made of!” exclaimed Ms. Shute. “These turtles are on the brink of extinction in the wild. So, the high survival rate of these hatchlings in our care is a huge win for Aussie Ark, Australia, and the world.”

Although the hatchlings are only about the size of a thumbnail, they are full of character. Ms. Shute mentioned that feeding time is their (and her) favorite time. As the young turtles tussle and consume bits of food, their primal, dinosaur-like nature becomes quite evident.

However, despite their ancient lineage, these turtles are not immune to contemporary threats, particularly from feral predators. Foxes are known to prey on turtle eggs and younglings, so Aussie Ark intervenes by nurturing the hatchlings until they reach a size where they can be safely reintroduced into their natural river habitats.