Hope for the Future: Irwin's Turtles at Australia Zoo Carry 50 Eggs Ahead of World Turtle Day
By Jill Dando News
Australia Zoo has announced a significant conservation breakthrough just in time for World Turtle Day, revealing that three of its female Irwin’s turtles are gravid, carrying a total of 50 eggs.
The Irwin’s turtle, discovered in 1990 by the late Steve Irwin in Queensland’s Burdekin River, was recently listed as “vulnerable” under the Australian Government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
Conservationists say the listing is a crucial step in protecting the species, which faces mounting threats from habitat loss and declining water quality.
Nick Kuyper, Curator of Reptiles, Amphibians, and Birds at Australia Zoo, highlighted the impact of environmental changes on the turtle’s population.
“Since the construction of the Burdekin Falls Dam in 1984, we’ve seen a sharp decline in the species in the lower Burdekin catchment,” Kuyper said. “Damming waterways not only floods nesting areas, but it also degrades water quality—reducing oxygen levels and increasing sediment, which directly affects the turtles.”
In 2022, Australia Zoo—working with Wildlife Warriors—launched a dedicated conservation project for the Irwin’s turtle.
The zoo has since become the first in the world to house and successfully breed the species in captivity. The aim is to build a stable “insurance population” that could eventually bolster wild populations.
Currently, the zoo is caring for 39 hatchlings, with plans to reintroduce them to the wild in the future.
Terri Irwin, wildlife conservationist and co-founder of Wildlife Warriors, described the breeding program as a continuation of Steve Irwin’s legacy.
“We are incredibly proud to be protecting a species that Steve discovered and loved,” she said. “This listing gives the turtles and their habitat an extra layer of protection.”
The announcement was made as part of World Turtle Day, which highlights the importance of protecting turtle species around the globe.
More information about the Irwin’s turtle conservation project is available at wildlifewarriors.org.au.
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