Tennessee Aquarium announces turtle babies

May 11, 2023

Collins Parker,

Top-down view of two Four-eyed Turtle hatchlings

Four-eyed Turtles (Sacalia quadriocellata) hatched at the Tennessee Aquarium.
Four-eyed Turtle Hatchling (front view)

A Four-eyed Turtle (Sacalia quadriocellata) hatched at the Tennessee Aquarium.
A Four-eyed Turtle hatchling peeks out from its shell

A Four-eyed Turtle (Sacalia quadriocellata) hatched at the Tennessee Aquarium.

(Photos by Doug Strickland)

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – The Tennessee Aquarium is proud to announce two more members of the endangered Four-eyed turtle population.

The babies hatched this month at the Turtle Nursery at the Aquarium.

The species is facing steep decline because of both forest and wetland loss in their native Asia.

The pair hatched earlier this month.

They are now in the Turtle Nursery that is open to visitors.

The hatching process is quite the ordeal.

The babies have a temporary spur on their beak they used to crack their way out.

The process can take hours.

“This process is physically exhausting,” Hughes says. “The turtle has to take frequent breaks to build its energy back up.”

(watch a time-lapse of the hatching process)

Categories: Featured, Local News

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