CHICAGO (AP) — Nearly a dozen ornate box turtles have hatched at Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo.
Zoo officials said the 11 turtles that hatched this week will remain at the zoo for the next several months, “where they can thrive without the threat of predation or disease.”
The small turtles are native to Midwestern states and feature color variations on their shells. Officials said they will be re-introduced into grasslands and sand prairies at the Upper Mississippi National Wildlife and Fish Refuge in Northern Illinois’ Savannah after they grow in size and strength.
Diane Mulkerin, the zoo’s curator, said in a news release that “every single hatchling is a success for the population.”
Mulkerin said each animal brings the state closer to restoring its grasslands and prairies.
