T aipei Zoo last month successfully hatched five radiated tortoises. The hatchlings are in good health and often seen crawling around energetically in their nest.
According to the zoo’s spokesperson Tsao Hsien-shao, the skin of a newly hatched radiated tortoise will be tinged with pink and typically turns yellowish after a month. Tsao says that the zoo will keep the hatchlings in their hatching nest, where temperature and humidity are controlled, and move them to a different nest after they have grown to a more stable size.
The radiated tortoises have become critically endangered due to loss of habitats, poaching and smuggling. The species. which is native to southern Madagascar, has a mild temperament and can grow up to a carapace length of 41cm and weigh up to 10kg.
Photo courtesy of Taipei Zoo
照片:台北市立動物園提供
During their breeding season, zoo keepers will regularly inspect the tortoises and loosen the soil in their enclosure, helping the female tortoises excavate holes for their eggs and ensure that the zoo can find their eggs soon after they are laid and move them to a controlled environment for artificial incubation. According to Tsao, female radiated tortoises lay an average of 8 to 10 eggs, which usually take about three months to hatch.
(CNA, translated by Tu Yu-an)
台北市立動物園上月成功孵化五隻射紋陸龜,剛孵化的幼龜寶寶相當健康,且活動力旺盛,在巢箱內爬來爬去。
Photo courtesy of Taipei Zoo
照片:台北市立動物園提供
動物園發言人曹先紹說,剛破殼的寶寶膚色較粉嫩,經過一個月後才會轉黃色,剛孵化時會待在孵化器持續保溫、保濕,直到成長狀況穩定,才會移到另一個巢箱。
射紋陸龜因面臨棲地破壞及盜獵走私,已被列為極度瀕危物種。該陸龜原產於馬達加斯加南部,個性溫和,背甲可長至四十一公分,而體重可達十公斤。
每到繁殖季,保育員會巡視、翻動活動場的土壤,讓雌龜可以輕鬆的挖洞產蛋,也及時把蛋挖出來進行人工孵化,曹先紹說,通常雌龜平均可產八至十顆蛋,孵化時間約三個月。
(中央社)
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