MEDIA CONTACT:
Sally Anne Giedrys
Communications Manager
sgiedrys@ecotarium.org
(508) 929-2738
WHAT: EcoTarium wildlife staff prepare Plymouth red-bellied cooter hatchlings for survival in the wild
WHEN: Tuesday,
September 30-Friday, October 4; 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
(Please call to schedule; later dates available if necessary.)
DESCRIPTION:
For the past 18 years, EcoTarium's wildlife department has participated in a breeding program for endangered Plymouth red-bellied cooters, under the auspices of the Massachusetts Department of Fisheries and Wildlife. This species, formerly known as red-bellied turtles, is found in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. Approximately 2,400 red-bellied cooters remain in the wild; habitat destruction caused by development and pesticide use has contributed to their endangerment.
EcoTarium's newest crop of hatchlings, each weighing about one ounce and similar in shell diameter to a half-dollar, have just arrived at the museum.
They will be raised through the winter in a temperature-controlled environment. Because these animals are raised in ideal conditions, they grow to almost a pound in just seven or eight months in captivity. Similar growth takes about five years in the wild. When they are large enough, each is weighed, tagged, and reintroduced into the wild. Researchers have found that red-bellied cooters raised by the EcoTarium's wildlife department in years past are now successfully reproducing in the wild&emdash; an important step for the recovery efforts of this rare New England species.
EcoTarium, a center for environmental exploration, offers three floors of interactive exhibits, wildlife habitats, nature trails, ponds, an award-winning meadow, a planetarium, and a narrow-gauge railroad. The center, located at 222 Harrington Way in Worcester, Mass., is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sundays 12 to 5 p.m. Open selected Monday holidays. For information, call (508) 929-2700 or email info@ecotarium.org.