Thirteen freshwater turtles have been returned to the Gingham Waterhole in the Gwydir Wetlands, near Moree in north-west New South Wales, ABC News reports. Ten are broad-shelled turtles and three are Murray River turtles.
They were among 39 found buried in mud in April after the waterhole dried up, and were taken to Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo. Keepers cleaned them, weighed them regularly and fed them back into condition in the zoo’s platypus conservation centre, which was fitted out with basking spots and UV lamps for its new guests. Water flows resumed in late May and the waterhole has since refilled.
There was a bonus. Health checks showed that 14 of the female broad-shelled turtles were carrying eggs, and more than 250 are now in an incubator at the zoo. The hatchlings should be released by the end of 2027, and the remaining adults will follow as conditions allow. Senior keeper James Witcombe called it “the kind of moment that we as zookeepers and conservationists live for.”
Source: ABC News