Jersey Zoo welcomes rare turtle hatchlings

3 Feb

Six Critically Endangered Madagascar big-headed turtles (Erymnochelys madagascariensis), known as "Rere" in Malagasy, have hatched at Durrell’s Jersey Zoo for the first time.

One of the hatchling Madagascar big-headed turtles (*Erymnochelys madagascariensis*)

In July 2022, a clutch of nine eggs was laid, of which six successfully hatched towards the end of 2022. The juveniles measured around 3cm in length when they emerged from the egg but have already doubled in size. Keepers are keeping a close eye on their development in a dedicated rearing aquarium behind the scenes at the Reptile and Amphibian House.

The breeding pair joined Jersey Zoo in 2019 after Hong Kong authorities confiscated them from smugglers. At only 20cm long (the species can reach up to 50cm), the young adults were thought to have not yet reached sexual maturity and no breeding efforts were expected.

Durrell's Head of Herpetology, Matt Goetz, said: "This is not only significant for our team but is also only the second time a European zoo has had offspring by this species. The hatchlings here will enable us to develop more husbandry insights to advise our Malagasy colleagues at our turtle captive breeding centre in Madagascar."

Erymnochelys madagascariensis is Madagascar's only endemic freshwater turtle and the largest species of turtle on the island. Durrell has been implementing conservation activities for the species in the wild since 1998, making it one of the charity's longest-standing projects in Madagascar.

Madagascan big-headed turtles are threatened by both habitat destruction and the poaching of eggs.

Durrell’s Rere Turtle Conservation Project supports community members to carry out patrols in the Ambondrobe Protected Area and Ankarafantsika National Park to protect nests from poaching.

Wetland restoration is also being carried out at these sites, which involves removing invasive water hyacinth. Wetlands are highly biodiverse habitats that are essential to life on Earth, but more than 35% of the world's wetlands have disappeared in the last 50 years.

The Rere Turtle Conservation Project also breeds turtles at a Madagascar captive breeding centre and then releases them into suitable wild habitats. In December 2021, 33 captive-bred turtles were successfully released into Lake Ravelobe in Ankarafantsika National Park, bringing the total number of turtles released into the lake to 150. The collaboration between the organisation and the local communities is paramount in reaching conservation goals.