Washington's Endangered Turtles Get a Second Chance

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, in collaboration with Woodland Park Zoo, recently released 37 young western pond turtles into a protected local site. This event highlights 35 years of dedicated conservation efforts for this endangered species in Washington state. Since 1993, the recovery project has utilized a 'head-start' program, involving over 2,300 turtles.

Annually, biologists collect eggs from wild nests and transport them to Woodland Park Zoo. There, zoo keepers incubate, hatch, and raise the hatchlings for several months, feeding them a high-protein diet. This process helps the young turtles reach a size of two to three ounces, enabling them to evade predators like invasive bullfrogs.

Western pond turtles face challenges including slow growth rates and a shell disease that has impacted over 80% of the wild population in the last 15 years. Research into this disease is ongoing, involving institutions like Shedd Aquarium. Despite these threats, collaborative efforts have successfully re-established self-sustaining populations in the Puget Sound and Columbia River Gorge regions.

The conservation initiative, which began in 1991, has seen contributions from various partners, including the Oregon Zoo since 2000. These ongoing efforts are crucial for the survival of western pond turtles, which are indicators of wetland health.