Potter Park Zoo joined conservation partners to release twenty Blanding’s turtles into the wild!
Twenty Blanding’s turtles raised at Potter Park Zoo have been released into the wild!
This summer, our animal care team joined conservation partners to release 20 turtles into carefully selected habitat in Michigan as part of a project looking at the viability of Blanding’s turtle
Blanding’s turtles face a number of challenges in Michigan, including habitat loss, road mortality, and predation. Eggs and newly hatched turtles are especially vulnerable. That’s where headstarting comes in.
What Is Headstarting?
For a young turtle, making it to adulthood isn’t easy.
By hatching and raising turtles during this vulnerable stage, our team can give them time to grow larger before release. For a species that may not reach sexual maturity until 14 to 20 years old, helping more turtles survive those early years can make a difference.
“We spend extensive time watching these turtles grow and preparing them for this moment, but the goal has always been to get them back into the wild. We’re proud to play a small part in a much larger conservation effort, and we’re excited to see where their journey takes them,” said Sarah Foote, Potter Park Zoo Animal Programs Manager.
Choosing the right spot to release the turtles takes a lot of thought. Access to water, ground cover, food, and other habitat needs were all considered before the turtles were released
Finding the Right Home
Of course, raising the turtles is only part of the equation. They also need somewhere to go. Potter Park Zoo worked with Michigan Natural Features Inventory, including Herpetologist Dr. Yu Man Lee and Field Technician Morgan Boyer, to coordinate the release and identify suitable habitat.
We won’t be sharing the exact location (these turtles deserve a little privacy), but a lot goes into choosing the right spot. Access to water, ground cover, food, and other habitat needs were all considered before the turtles were released. And then, they were off.
Field Technician Morgan Boyer uses a radio antenna to find the radio transmitters that were attached to the turtles. These transmitters can last up to six months and allow researchers to periodically locate the turtles and learn more about where they go, how they grow, and, importantly, how well they survive after release.
What Happens Next?
The turtles may be in the wild, but our work is far from over.
Before release, small transmitters were carefully attached to the turtles’ shells. These transmitters can last up to six months and allow researchers to periodically locate the turtles and learn more about where they go, how they grow, and, importantly, how well they survive after release. That information helps us better understand how head-started turtles adapt to life in the wild and may help guide future conservation efforts.
Conservation doesn’t always happen halfway around the world. Sometimes it happens right here in Michigan, through years of research, collaboration, and a whole lot of care for some very small turtles. We’re proud to be part of that work, and we can’t wait to see where these 20 turtles go next.
Giving turtles and their nests plenty of space helps them safely complete their natural behaviors and gives the next generation the best chance of survival.
How You Can Help
If you come across a turtle or turtle nest, the best thing you can do is leave it alone. Turtles and their nests should never be moved, handled, or disturbed. Even well-intentioned help can put turtles and their eggs at risk. Giving turtles and their nests plenty of space helps them safely complete their natural behaviors and gives the next generation the best chance of survival.
Want to make an even bigger impact? By supporting Potter Park Zoo, you help make hands-on conservation efforts like the Blanding’s turtle head-starting program possible. Your gift helps our team continue working to protect threatened species and the wild places they depend on, here in Michigan and beyond. Make a gift today and help us continue this important work.
