Three critically endangered bigheaded turtles, which are now endangered, have been hatched at London Zoo. This happened just a few short years after their parents were rescued illegally from the wildlife trade.
Smugglers had tried to illegally import the adults into Canada labelled as toys but They were not caught and the turtles were taken in by keepers in the UK.
Having settled well into their new environment at London Zoo, the turtles — two males and two females — were slowly introduced to each other, resulting in the birth of three new hatchlings last month.
Scroll down to see the video
Three new arrivals: Three critically endangered bigheaded turtles have hatched in London Zoo (picutred), a few short years after their parents were rescued illegally from the wildlife trade.
Tiny: A hatchling is pictured. The parents were illegally imported into Canada by smugglers who claimed they were toys. However, the turtles were captured and taken in by London Zoo.
The heads of big-headed turtles are so large, unlike other species, that they can’t retract their heads into their shells.
Kimberley Carter, Zoological Society of London (ZSL), reptile keeper said that she had the expertise at ZSL London Zoo to provide this solitary animal the specialist care it needed. She is pleased with the results of her dedicated work with the three hatchlings.
The heads of big-headed turtles, unlike other species, are so large that they cannot retract them into their shells.
Nature has provided them with armour plating from head-to-tail and a sharp beak to fight off predators.
The four turtles rescued from the illegal wildlife trade arrived at London’s conservation zoo at the end of 2018, and have been living in separate custom-built enclosures in Reptile House because of their naturally territorial nature.
‘Big-headed turtles may not be conventionally cute to most people — with their oversized heads and long, whip-like tails — but they represent a vitally important and unique branch of the evolutionary tree and have much to teach us about animal adaptions,’ Ms Carter said.
“There is literally no other species like them anywhere on Earth.”
Large-headed turtles, also known by platysternon megacephalum or big-headed turtles hail From the top mountainous regions of Central China or mainland Southeast Asia.
However, they are threatened by hunting for their meat and the international pet trade and are classified as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of threatened species.
They are part of a conservation effort at London Zoo that reintroduces wild big-headed turtles into the wild.
Ben Tapley, ZSL’s curator of amphibians and reptiles, stated that ZSL works with the Asian Turtle Program of Indo Myanmar Conservation. They help to rehabilitate hundreds of large-headed turtles that were seized by local authorities. They are housed at the Turtle Conservation Center, Cuc Phuong National Park in Vietnam.
Nature has provided them with armour plating from head-to-tail and a sharp beak to fight off predators.
The platysternon megacephalum is a name for big-headed turtles that hail from the higher mountainous regions of Central China.
London Zoo turtles are part a collaborative conservation initiative that reintroduces wild big head turtles back into their natural habitat.
Hunting for their meat and international pet trade are threatening big-headed turtles. One of the rescued adult turtles is shown here
‘This collaborative project has implemented a vital health and genetic screening protocol at the centre, helping to safeguard wildlife at reintroduction sites from the spread of any pathogens that may be carried by the rescued reptiles — this has resulted in more than 220 rescued turtles having been safely released into protected areas over the past two years.
“Our international team is also working with local communities in order to help them understand how important these amazing creatures are, so that together they can bring them back from death’
ZSL stated that the turtles were named after three colleagues from the Asian Turtle Program, Vietnam, to recognize the collaboration efforts being made to save the species.
They are Thuy Thu Nayen, Tim McCormack et Ha Hoang.
The latter said: ‘Having these turtles hatch at the Zoo not only adds to the global numbers of this unique species, but allows us to learn more about them and their breeding habits – vital information shared between colleagues that informs the turtles’ rescue and rehabilitation.’
Tim, Thuy, and Ha will be able to see the turtles as they grow. Visitors can also visit the Reptile House to see one of the original turtles that were rescued.
Ms Carter stated that turtles can teach visitors a lot about illegal wildlife trade and the dangers faced by reptiles, amphibians, and other wild animals.