Rare turtles saved from smugglers have hatchlings

The species has been a victim of poaching in its native Madagascar

Six turtles of a critically endangered species have hatched at a conservation zoo in Jersey.

The Madagascar big-headed turtles, known as "Rere" in their native country, were born in late 2022.

Their parents were brought to Jersey Zoo, run by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, in 2019 after they were confiscated from smugglers by authorities in Hong Kong.

Matt Goetz, who leads Durrell's study of amphibians, said it was only the second time a European zoo had hosted hatchings of this species.

The turtles' road to parenthood has not been easy after they were poached and smuggled

The hatchlings' parents arrived at Jersey Zoo in 2019.

Having been confiscated from smugglers in Hong Kong, they ended up at the country's Kadoorie Farm and Botanical Garden before travelling nearly 10,000km (6,200 miles) to Jersey.

Home is a bespoke exhibit, where staff had "not anticipated" breeding attempts so soon as both turtles - at around 20cm (7.8in) long - were "relatively small" on arrival.

But in July 2022, a clutch of nine eggs was laid, six of which have now hatched.

Measuring about 3cm (1in) at birth in late 2022, they have already doubled in size.

Keepers are "keeping a close eye on their development" in a dedicated rearing aquarium out of public view at the Reptile and Amphibian House, the zoo said.

Mr Goetz added: "This is not only significant for our team but is also only the second time a European zoo has had offspring by this species.

"The hatchlings here will enable us to develop more husbandry insights to advise our Malagasy colleagues at our turtle captive breeding centre in Madagascar."

The rare Madagascar big-headed turtle is the country's only endemic freshwater turtle and the largest species of turtle on the island.

Durrell has run conservation projects for the species in the wild since 1998, one of its longest running schemes in Madagascar.

Threats to the species include hunting turtles and eggs and the loss of wetland.

Such is the danger that Durrell's Rere Turtle Conservation Project supports community members to patrol Madagascar's Ambondrobe Protected Area and Ankarafantsika National Park to protect nests from poaching.

Headquartered in Jersey, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust is an international charity working to save species from extinction.