Zoos with the rarest / most endangered freshwater turtles

There are some impressive freshwater turtle enclosures at Saint Louis zoo judging by the gallery and it is great to see how they are the central feature of the zoos reptile house.

Beautifully ornate open top Asian freshwater turtle ponds:








Some nice enclosed terrariums too:

Great outdoor turtle pond enclosures :


Photo credits to @Moebelle, @Coelacanth18, @snowleopard.

 

An Australian perspective on a few of the threatened turtles in captivity:

*Alexandra Park Zoo, north of Brisbane here in Australia, has a White-throated Snapping Turtle (Elseya albagula). It is believed to be the only one in a zoo currently and it moved there from another local collection: Alby the bum breather welcomed to zoo – Bundaberg Now The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Commonwealth) lists this species as critically endangered. More information can be found here:https://www.environment.gov.au/syst...overy-plan-white-throated-snapping-turtle.pdf

*Taronga Zoo does great work with the Bellinger River Turtle (Myuchelys georgesi) via their breed and release programme. The species was almost wiped out of existence in 2015 when 90% of the adult population died of disease. Fortunately, the zoo collected the last few adults and have been very successful with them. They had one on display in the reptile house when I visited a year or so ago. Symbio Wildlife Park also works with this species to establish a second captive population. Article about them: Critically endangered snapping turtle program breeds hope for survival

*Australian Reptile Park works with a close relative of the Bellinger River Turtle - the Manning River Turtle (Myuchelys purvisi). They breed them off-display: Ten tiny Manning River turtle hatchlings provide hope for species

*Several zoos led by Perth Zoo also look after and breed the Western Swamp Turtle (Pseudemydura umbrina). Perth Zoo have bred 900 of them since they commenced in 1989 with 741 of them being released into the wild: Western Swamp Tortoise Breeding Program

*Mary River Turtles (Elusor macrurus) are also relatively common in Australian zoos as well (at least in Queensland collections); I have seen the this species locally at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, David Fleay Wildlife Park and Australia Zoo.

 

Great stuff here @WhistlingKite24 !

Definitely some food for thought and I'll check some of these zoos out and familiarise myself with their conservation programes.

There are evidently some very threatened freshwater turtles native to the continent and a lot of work is needed to conserve them.

It is great to know that Australian zoos are working hard for their ex-situ conservation.

 

They are kept at the National Aquarium and possibly one or two other US zoos/aquariums.

 

Yeah I was referring to Australian collections. In the US they also seem to be kept at the Bronx Zoo and Los Angeles Zoo after a quick search.

 

Nice to see these shots in the gallery of a captive breeding facility for European pond turtles at Haute touche a French zoo:


Even better to see that there are windows for the public / visitors to see into the work being done in the lab:


Photo credits to @Maguari.

 

While I couldn’t find any pictures of the exhibit, on the Maryland Zoo’s website it says it has bog turtles. I believe Zoo Atlanta and the Virginia Zoo had some too but I’m not sure if they’re still there.

 

So here is a partial species list for the Bronx Zoo. I am sure I am missing a bunch of additional species I cannot recall. The turtles in Congo specifically I cannot recall.

• Aldabra Tortoise
• Sulcata Tortoise
• Bog Turtle
• Roti-Island Snake Necked Turtle
• Mary River Turtle
• Common Snapping Turtle
• Alligator Snapping Turtle
• Chinese Big Headed Turtle
• Chinese Yellow Headed Box Turtle
• Sulawesi Forest Turtle
• Mccord's Box Turtle
• Golden Coin Turtle
• Black-Breasted Leaf Turtle
• Radiated Tortoise
• Spider Tortoise
• Red-Headed Amazon River Turtle
• Broad-Shelled Long-Necked Turtle
• Painted River Terrapin
  
• Giant South American River Turtle
• Forsten’s Tortoise
• Fly River Turtle
  
• Softshell turtle (unknown species)
• Red-eared slider
• Middle East spur-thighed tortoise
  
• Four-eyed turtle
  
• Eastern Painted Turtle
• Red-Crowned Roofed Turtle
  
• Indochinese box turtle
  
• Pancake Tortoise
• Asian brown tortoise

 

Thanks for sharing @Girafarig !

I couldn't find bog turtles either but I'm glad you mentioned it as I found some things of interest while looking it up.

This is the box turtle exhibit at the Maryland zoo and it looks really quite amazing, being huge and with those glass bubbles for children to peek up at the turtles in.


Also this strange mixed species exhibit with red fox and snapping turtle.

And an interesting albeit slightly sinister turtle sculpture:


Photo credits to @mweb08 and @snowleopard.

 

Gotta say that is the biggest box turtle exhibit I’ve ever seen.
The fox and the snapper is odd. I’ve seen American alligator + Alligator snapping turtles but not red foxes.

 

Yes, its quite a strange one isn't it ? I'm sure its alright though as the fox and turtles occupy different areas of the exhibit and don't bother one another.

 

I see. Is there any sort of barrier between them?

 

If there is it's not apparent in the photo.

 

It looks like the red fox/snapping turtle exhibit was demolished for a new bobcat exhibit... Well no snappers or unique mixed species exhibit. (unless of a new exhibit or the snapper being off-stage)

 

No, that seems to be a pretty comprehensive list.

Personally, I think the Bronx zoo might have the most impressive and significant collection of freshwater turtles of any zoo in the world. This group of reptiles seem to be an enormous focus for them and they certainly do a lot in the way of in-situ and ex-situ conservation.

So, I went through the gallery and found some shots of the freshwater turtle species you mentioned (with some of the species there were apparently no photos in the gallery):

Sulawesi pond turtle:

Red crowned roof turtle:

Red headed Amazon river turtle:

Mary river turtle:

Yellow headed box turtle:

Black breasted leaf turtle:

Red headed Amazonian river turtle:

Golden coin turtle

Painted river turtle:

Fly river turtle:

Eastern painted river turtle:

Florida softshell turtle:








Photo credits to @RatioTile, @MagicYoung, @Pandinus, @JigerofLemuria , @Ding Lingwei, @carlos55, @ThylacineAlive, @jayjds2 , and @gulogulogulo.

 

A couple I found in the gallery that you didn't mention, which I don't blame you as I wouldn't be able to name them off the top of my head either are :

Indian roofed turtle:

Yellow headed temple terrapin:

Arau river turtle:

Giant Asian pond turtle:

Bornean river turtle:

Vietnamese pond turtle:

Spotted pond turtle:

Chiapas giant musk turtle:

Giant snake necked turtle:

Red bellied short necked turtle:

Giant musk turtle:

New Guinean pink belly snapping turtle:

Yellow bellied slider:

East African black mud turtle:

Beal's four eyed turtle:

Northern river terrapin:

Kinyxis hingeback turtle :


Photo credits to @RatioTile, @MagicYoung, @Pandinus, @JigerofLemuria , @Ding Lingwei, @carlos55, @ThylacineAlive, @jayjds2 , and @gulogulogulo.

 

It doesn't look like it, no.

 

The fox and snapping turtle exhibit is now home to a Bobcat.

 

Thanks to @WhistlingKite24 for more information on these species and their ex-situ conservation at Australian zoos:

Bellinger river turtle at Taronga zoo:

Bellinger river turtle signage detailing zoo role in conservation at Taronga zoo:

Western swamp turtle at Perth zoo:

Western swamp turtle enclosure and signage detailing conservation status and threats of species at Perth zoo:

Signage on conservation of Western swamp turtle at Perth zoo:

Mary river turtle at Australia zoo:

Signage detailing conservation status of Mary river turtle and anthropogenic threats at Australia zoo:


Photo credits to @WhistlingKite24 , @Najade , @Goura and @Hix.

 

News report on the Bellinger river turtle :

Taronga zoo captive breeding and reintroduction programe of this species: