Endangered Blanding’s turtles get a ‘hatching’ hand from Blank Park Zoo

DES MOINES, Iowa — A partnership between the Blank Park Zoo, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and Iowa State University is helping an endangered species of turtles in Iowa.

The zoo announced Tuesday that a project begun in April of 2022 has resulted in 57 Blanding’s turtles hatching. The species is considered endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

“The Blanding’s turtle desperately needs these kinds of successes to ensure its survival. We are proud to play a role in this vital conservation effort and look forward to seeing these turtles thrive in the wild,” said Anne Shimerdla, President & CEO of Blank Park Zoo.”

The zoo said the Iowa DNR worked with public and private landowners to create and manage habitats where the turtles would thrive after a decline in the species’ population due to habitat loss and low nest success.

Iowa State University uses radio-telemetry to determine turtle populations on a local scale and when they found pregnant Blanding’s turtles they were brought to Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines. The turtles were induced and after laying their eggs the turtles were returned to their original habitats.

The eggs were incubated and hatched at the zoo, where the 57 young turtles will be reared until becoming large enough to be returned to the habitat where their mothers were found.

The Blanding’s turtles will not be on public display at the zoo.

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