Western pond turtles help to balance local wetland ecosystems. At the start of every summer, the turtles are collected as eggs from wild nests and transported to Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, Wash., where they are incubated for two to three months. After hatching, the turtles are expertly cared for by the Zoo’s animal keepers and given a head start on life where they can grow in safety; they are released nearly a year later. As part of the Western Pond Turtle Recovery Project, approximately 20 to 25 juvenile turtles, among last year’s hatchings, were released back to their protected wetlands Friday, 12 August.
At the zoo, the hatchlings are fed a diet throughout the winter safely away from predators. By the time summer rolls around, they are bigger than wild turtles at that age and big enough to escape the mouths of invasive bullfrogs; they must be at least two ounces to be released. Every August they are returned to protected sites in their native habitat and experience the next chapter of their lives: living in protected wetlands where they can submerge in vegetation, bask on logs, swim among mud banks, and dine on insects, amphibians and aquatic plants. Here, they are monitored by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists.
The western pond turtle—one of only two turtle species native to the state of Washington—once teetered on the brink of extinction. In 1990, only about 150 remained in two populations in the state. In 1991, Woodland Park Zoo and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife joined forces to recover western pond turtles by initiating a head start program. In 1993, the state listed the western pond turtle as endangered.
In 1999, Oregon Zoo joined the recovery team and, over the years, other nonprofits, government agencies and private partners have contributed to the multi-institutional conservation project.
Collaborative recovery efforts over the last three decades have resulted in more than 2,300 turtles being head started and self-sustaining populations re-established in two regions of the state: Puget Sound and the Columbia River Gorge. Surveys indicate that approximately 800 of the released turtles have survived and continue to thrive at six sites.
Over the last several years, an emerging shell disease threatens decades of recovery progress for the wild population. Through a grant in 2021 from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction granting program, Woodland Park Zoo and collaborating institutions are researching this new shell disease and how it occurs in managed care environments and turtle rearing practices.
Help save turtles and keep their local habitats clean and healthy
- Avoid pesticides when you garden.
- Dispose of litter properly.
- Call a rescue organization when you need to rehome aquatic pets.
- Volunteer to clean up local habitats.
Photo Credit: © Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, Woodland Park Zoo
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