These endangered turtles just hatched for the first time in North America
By Zoe Sottile, CNN
(CNN) - After over two decades of patiently waiting, endangered Indian narrow-headed softshell turtles finally bred at the San Diego Zoo. This marks the first time the species has been documented reproducing at a zoo in North America.
The San Diego Zoo announced the hatching of 41 tiny turtle softshell babies in a news release on Monday.
The turtles, native to south Asia, are listed as "endangered" by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Their population has declined severely due to habitat loss and hunting, says the organization. But data is scarce and it's not clear how many of the turtles are left in the wild.
Conservationists at the zoo have been waiting over 20 years for their three Indian narrow-headed softshell turtles to breed, says the release. It takes up to ten years for the turtles to reach sexual maturity -- and they cover their nests with dirt, which can make them difficult for zoo staff to locate.
Zoo staff discovered two nests containing 41 eggs over the summer, according to the release. A few of the eggs had already hatched in the turtle habitat. But the rest were safely relocated to an artificial nest incubator where staff could monitor them.
"This is a thrilling moment for us at the San Diego Zoo, and an incredible step forward in the conservation of this species," Kim Gray, the zoo's curator of herpetology and ichthyology, said in the news release. "We have been focused on caring for these turtles for a very long time, and part of that care is to gain a greater understanding of the species' natural history."
"With the knowledge we gain here at the Zoo, we can better assist our partners in India to help this essential species thrive in their native habitat."
The newborn turtles are currently small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. But by the time they're adults, they can grow up to three and a half feet long and will feed on fish, frogs, crustaceans and mollusks.
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