Portland, Oregon – Seventeen endangered northwestern pond turtle hatchlings are settling into their new home at the Oregon Zoo this summer.

Each hatchling is roughly the size of a walnut.

They are being raised in the zoo’s turtle conservation lab to prepare them for release into the wild next spring.

“These hatchlings are very vulnerable to predators,” said Jen Osburn Eliot, who leads the turtle recovery program.

American bullfrogs, an invasive species, pose a major threat. They can consume hatchlings like candy.

Zoo conservationists retrieved the hatchlings with help from Washington Fish and Wildlife biologists.

The turtles were found in the Columbia Gorge and brought to the lab.

Inside the lab, the turtles enjoy heat lamps and steady food to prevent hibernation.

This method helps them grow faster.

Once the turtles reach about 50 grams—about two ounces—they are returned to their natural habitat.

By then, they are as large as a typical 3-year-old turtle, making them less vulnerable to predators.

The northwestern pond turtle is endangered in Washington and listed as sensitive in Oregon.

Fewer than 100 turtles remained in Washington two decades ago.

Thanks to this program, over 1,500 turtles have been released back into the wild.

“Each hatchling is critical,” said Eliot. “We need to increase the number of turtles in the wild if we’re going to save this species from extinction.”

The recovery project is a joint effort between multiple organizations, including the Oregon Zoo, Woodland Park Zoo, and federal and state wildlife agencies.

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