Animal Division: Individual Conservation and Research Projects

Ornate Box Turtle

Ornate box turtle

The Zoo raised 24 endangered ornate box turtles to be released into a wild prairie in south central Wisconsin. In 1996 and 1997, the Zoo developed the head starting procedures for this highly successful DNR program. During a single winter at the Zoo, these turtles may grow from a one-third ounce hatchling to as much as five ounces. In the wild, it may take as long as seven years to reach this size, at which time they are practically predator-proof. Several other zoos and nature centers are now a part of this program, and the Nature Conservancy has adopted its protocols to help increase ornate turtle populations in its Wisconsin reserves. As of May 2002, our Zoo had raised 92 turtles for release.