[Explanation] Recently, 7 Chinese loggerhead sea turtles under the protection of the national first-level key protected wild animals broke their shells under the careful care of the conservationists of Qingdao Haichang Polar Ocean Park. They have been certified by the Aquatic Wildlife Protection Branch of the China Wildlife Conservation Association and other authorities. This is the first successful artificial breeding of loggerhead turtles in China.
[Explanation] On August 26, the reporter saw a brown loggerhead turtle swimming in a box filled with water in Qingdao Haichang Polar Ocean Park, full of cuteness.
On June 1 this year, female loggerhead turtles living in Qingdao Haichang Polar Ocean Park laid 30 eggs, and the nurses transferred the eggs to the incubator in time.
After more than 70 days of incubation, the first little loggerhead turtle bravely broke its shell.
Currently, the first loggerhead turtle has a carapace of 5 cm long and weighs 25 grams.
[Concurrent] Wang Bin, Vice Minister of Conservation Department of Qingdao Haichang Polar Ocean Park
After our first baby turtle came out of its shell, we first cleaned its body surface, using normal saline, and we put it in a small box for breeding.
Before August 13th, this little sea turtle was not eating, and it had not absorbed the endogenous nutrients in its body.
Starting on August 13, this little loggerhead turtle began to have an appetite. We slowly used fresh jellyfish and fresh krill to lure it into feeding. On August 14, it could successfully eat a jellyfish.
[Explanation] At present, 7 baby loggerhead turtles have hatched out of their shells one after another.
After about a week of careful cultivation, 6 loggerhead turtles developed normally and had eaten steadily. The other loggerhead turtles were malformed and weak, and their eating ability was relatively poor. They were kept in isolation and cared for every day by the nurses.
Wang Bin, deputy director of the conservation department of the park, told reporters that the development of tortoise eggs requires relatively high temperature and humidity. Once the temperature and humidity are not up to standard, it is easy to cause abnormal development of tortoise eggs.
[Concurrent] Wang Bin, Vice Minister of Conservation Department of Qingdao Haichang Polar Ocean Park
(Loggerhead Turtle) The incubation period is about 70 days. During this period, we have to keep the temperature and humidity of the environment very suitable and very stable. If the temperature and humidity are unstable and unsuitable, sea turtle eggs are very likely to develop due to unsuitable environments. Abnormal or termination of development.
The environment is easily contaminated by some microorganisms or the eggs of some small flying insects. Turtle eggs are easy to mold and deteriorate, and moldy eggs can easily affect other eggs. This is a very important difficulty.
[Commentary] On February 5, 2021, the "National Key Protected Wildlife List" will promote sea turtles to the national first-level key protected wild animals.
The successful breeding of loggerhead turtles in Qingdao Haichang Polar Ocean Park marks a major breakthrough in the conservation and breeding of sea turtles in China.
[Concurrent] Zhou Qingjie, Assistant General Manager of Qingdao Haichang Polar Ocean Park
The successful breeding of loggerhead turtles marks another major breakthrough in the conservation and breeding of sea turtles in Haichang (Polar) Ocean Park. It once again proves the feasibility of keeping and breeding sea turtles indoors in our aquarium, and will also become an important part of restoring wild sea turtle population resources. Initiatives.
[Explanation] It is reported that loggerhead turtles, also known as loggerhead turtles, gossip tortoises, etc., are a species of the genus loggerhead turtles of the family Turtle family. It is the oldest reptile living at the same time as the dinosaurs. "Living fossil".
(Reporting by Yang Fei, Hu Yaojie, Fei Tingting, Qingdao)
Editor in charge: [Tian Boqun]