Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital contributes to endangered turtle conservation

The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, a key conservation project of international charity Wildlife Warriors, has released two critically endangered white-throated snapping turtle hatchlings into the wild, contributing to their population and conservation.

Recently, a beautiful and unique white-throated snapping turtle, Jenny, was admitted to the Wildlife Hospital after she was found entangled in barbed wire. Jenny was discovered on the shore of a river where she was attempting to lay eggs, injured and in desperate need of help.  

Despite the  expert veterinary team's immediate efforts to help the patient, Jenny sadly didn't make it due to the severity of her injuries. However, the team discovered during an x-ray that Jenny was carrying two eggs.

The eggs were carefully removed and incubated at the Wildlife Hospital, which ultimately hatched two white-throated snapping turtles. After thorough care and receiving the all-clear from the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital team, these two hatchlings were successfully released into their natural habitat, to begin their journey in the wild.

Wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin shared "we are honoured to have released two white-throated snapping turtle hatchlings into the wild. We have an enormous amount of love and respect for wildlife, just like Dad did, and through our important charity work, we're proud to be helping wildlife around the world, having treated over 130,000 animals at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital since we first opened."

White-throated snapping turtles are a critically endangered species of freshwater turtle, capable of growing up to an impressive 45 centimeters in length. Some of the threats these turtles face in the wild include predation by foxes, being trampled by cattle on riverbeds, and contamination of waterways.

"Releasing white-throated snapping turtles into the wild is a vital contribution to the preservation of the species, further bolstering their dwindling population," added Irwin.

Wildlife Warriors was founded by Steve and Terri Irwin in 2002 as a way of including more people in the protection of wildlife and wild places. Today, with 13 conservation projects worldwide and three vast conservation properties, Wildlife Warriors continues to carry on Steve Irwin 's dream to save one, save the species.

Robert Irwin highlighted "Wildlife Warriors strives to protect some of the world's most threatened wildlife species and natural habitats. From helping find a cure for deadly diseases such as chlamydia for koalas, an endangered species, and conducting the world's largest crocodile research project, to supporting The Black Mambas anti-poaching unit in South Africa, we are working tirelessly to make the world a better place for wildlife.”

To find out about Wildlife Warriors and how you can help, visit wildlifewarriors.org.au.

Images. Credit: Jake Wilton.