Leaf-shaped turtle from Fort Wayne Children's Zoo

The American Children's Zoo in Fort Wayne (Fort Wayne Children's Zoo) presented the cub a rare black-breasted foliage turtle, which was born on May 10. This little turtle could play an important role in saving its species.



Photo: Fort Wayne Children's Zoo

This baby hatched after a 75-day incubation period and at three weeks she weighed about 6 grams, which is a quarter of the weight of an adult. Its appearance was made possible thanks to the huge efforts of the zoo team, which did everything possible to this species of turtles began to reproduce.

Currently, experts are closely monitoring the development of the small turtle. Her daily diet consists of fruits, vegetables, insects and worms. She is healthy and very active, which can not but please the staff of the zoo.



The black-breasted leafy, or leafy, or mountain turtle Spengler, or earth turtle (Latin Geoemyda spengleri) is a reptile from the family of freshwater turtles. It lives in South China (the provinces of Kwanxi, Kwantung and Hainan), in Vietnam, on the islands of Sumatra, Borneo (Indonesia), in Okinawa and Kum (Japan).

These turtles prefer forest litter (grasses, mosses, fallen foliage). They are found near small reservoirs with standing water, as shelters they use voids formed at the roots of trees, fallen trunks or they themselves dig burrows, often burrow into a forest litter consisting of turf.



It's an omnivorous animal. At a younger age, it prefers earthworms, crickets, newborn mice, small fish. As you get older, you can also eat plant foods. In captivity, the leaf-shaped turtle is fed vegetables, fruits, various insects, as well as chicken, beef and fish.

The length of its carapace, consisting of 12 shields, does not exceed 13-15 cm. Kakrapax also has three ridges, with a heavily jagged rear edge. The surface of the carapace is quite rough due to the growth rings that appear in the animal with age. The shell is elongated in shape, in the last third it is somewhat wider, the top itself is quite flat.



Black-breasted leaf turtles live up to 20 years and are popular among breeders. Refers to rare and endangered species, therefore, IUCN is listed in the International Red Book.

Source: zoopicture.ru