Guadalajara zoo hatches endangered vallarta mud turtle

The Guadalajara Zoo in Mexico has achieved a conservation milestone with the first captive hatching of the Vallarta mud turtle, an endangered species and the world’s smallest turtle. Adults of the species reach a maximum length of just 10.2 centimetres.

The species is recently discovered and little studied, with no established guidelines for care in the wild or in captivity. The zoo received a group of rescued turtles from federal and local authorities and launched a dedicated conservation program to prevent the species from disappearing. Efforts at the zoo aim to preserve the Vallarta mud turtle and expand scientific knowledge about its survival and reproduction.