Three Rare Turtles Hatched at Zoo

Threatened black-breasted leaf turtles Morla, Gamera, and Katinga are the first of their kind to hatch at the zoo.

It’s been an exciting year for the threatened black-breasted leaf turtles in the Indonesian Rain Forest. Female turtle Willow laid three eggs last winter. The first tiny turtle, named Gamera, hatched on May 8. Then, on June 24, Morla emerged from the second egg. The next day, Ketinga (whose name means “third” in an Indonesian language) hatched from the last egg. These are the first-ever of this species to hatch at the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo.

Their hatching is significant because these and many other Asian turtle species are threatened with extinction. They are aggressively collected for the manufacture of traditional Chinese medicine. About 120 black-breasted leaf turtles live in United States zoos.

The hatchlings begin life about the side of a half-dollar coin. For now, they spend most of their time burrowed under damp sphagnum moss in shoebox-sized containers behind the scenes, where they are carefully monitored by zoo keepers. Their mother, Willow, is in the exhibit located under the waterfall in the Indonesian Rain Forest.

Become a Zoo Volunteer!

Volunteers introduce children to friendly zoo animals.

Looking for a new adventure? If you enjoy sharing your love of animals with others, consider joining our energetic crew of volunteers at the zoo! No matter what your background or time commitment, we can help you find a rewarding volunteer opportunity. Plan to attend an informational meeting on Thursday, September 27 from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. at the zoo. To register, please call Molly or Pam in the volunteer office at 260-427-6828 or e-mail volunteer@kidszoo.org.

Indiana Family Farm News

Lilly gets her morning bottle from Indiana Family Farm keeper Rachel Purcell.

The Indiana Family Farm welcomed a new calf in late August. Lilly, a Brown Swiss dairy cow, was born on August 18 at a local farm and came to the zoo just a few weeks later. Like all newborn calves, Lilly is naturally skinny. But Indiana Family Farm Area Manager Missy North promises that Lilly will soon fatten up as she grows.

Many visitors have been asking, “Where’s Sassafras?” as they peer into the draft horse stall in the big red barn. Born in May to our female draft horse Maize, Sassafras was weaned in August. Now that she no longer nurses from Maize, Sassafras went to live on a nearby farm, giving Maize a little extra leg room in the barn.

Hours

The zoo is open everyday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Admission is $8.00 for adults, $5.00 for children age 2-14 and $7.00 for seniors age 60 and over. Babies age one and under and Zoo Society Members are admitted free.

For more information visit our web site.

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