San Diego Zoo Welcomes 41 Endangered Turtle Hatchlings

It only took two decades, but a rare and endangered turtle species has finally bred at the San Diego Zoo.

Zoo officials on Monday announced the arrival of 41 tiny Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle hatchlings.

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Conservationists from the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance had for 20 years closely monitored three adult turtles for any indications of breeding.

“This is an extremely prolonged process as the turtles can take close to 10 years to even reach sexual maturity,” according to a news release.

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SAN DIEGO (Oct. 3, 2022) – For more than two decades, conservationists from San Diego Wildlife Alliance have been waiting with anticipation as they watched for the slightest signs of breeding from a rare reptile species. This summer, their patience paid off after wildlife care team members at the San Diego Zoo welcomed 41 tiny Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle hatchlings—becoming the first accredited conservation organization in North America to hatch these endangered turtles, and furthering the organization’s ongoing work to save this vital Asian species.
Three narrow-headed softshell turtles have been living at the Zoo for more than 20 years, and wildlife care specialists have spent the majority of that time closely monitoring the group for any indication that breeding has taken place. This is an extremely prolonged process as the turtles can take close to 10 years to even reach sexual maturity. Also, the reptiles usually lay their eggs overnight and cover them with dirt—adding to the difficulty of locating a nest.
This summer, wildlife team members were elated when they discovered, for the first time, two nests containing 41 eggs. While a few of the turtles were hatched in the reptiles’ habitat, the team carefully removed the other eggs and placed them in an artificial nest incubator. Doing so provided an environment where team members could help maintain the optimal temperatures and humidity for hatchings—increasing their chance of survival. Eventually, their diligence paid off, as a new generation of healthy narrow-headed softshell turtles emerged from the eggs.
“This is a thrilling moment for us at the San Diego Zoo, and an incredible step forward in the conservation of this species,” said Kim Gray, curator of herpetology and ichthyology at the San Diego Zoo. “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 kn — A newly-born, endangered, Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle lays on the sand on Oct. 3, 2022 at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance)

On top of that, the reptiles are known to lay their eggs at night and cover them with dirt — adding to the difficulty of locating a nest.

Two nests were found over the summer containing 41 eggs. All survived.

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The hatchings make the alliance the first accredited conservation organization in North America to hatch the endangered Indian narrow-headed softshell turtles, officials said.

“This is a thrilling moment for us at the San Diego Zoo, and an incredible step forward in the conservation of this species,” zoo curator Kim Gray said.

The turtles, also called small-headed softshell turtle, are a large species native to the Indian subcontinent. They are found at the bottom of deep rivers and streams in northern India, Bangladesh and Nepal.