A Zoological in Jalisco reproduced for the first time, under profession of professionals, a copy of the turtle known as ‘Casquito’, a species that lives near Puerto Vallarta, which is considered the smallest in the world and whose survival is in danger.
Biologist Ricardo Dávalos, head of the Guadalajara Zoological Herpeary, explained to Efe that this species was discovered just in 2018, but is in danger of disappearing because there are only 500 copies due to urban expansion around the wetlands of the Ameca River that divides Jalisco with Nayarit, where it is endemic.
“The construction of housing areas is increasingly covering more territory where some of those graves are located (within Puerto Vallarta). If we add that it is a rare species, it becomes more attractive to traffickers. We know that in Japan, China, Korea, there are already trafficked animals,” he warned.
The Kinostonon Vogti, known as ‘Tortuga Casquito de Vallarta’ is characterized by the yellow spot that males have in the nose and to reach just 10 centimeters long in adulthood. A newly hatched offspring measures about 2 centimeters, which is equivalent to the width of the thumb of an adult.
Dávalos explained that after receiving 37 copies that were confiscated by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources in 2023, they achieved the mating of some couples living in an area of the Herpeary with conditions similar to their natural habitat.
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The female turtles spawned some eggs that were surpassed by the group of zoo professionals through an incubator where they control the temperature and humidity.
From this process, the first individual was born on June 30 with a weight of 2.8 grams and to which biologists affectionately call ´Migaja ‘, due to their size. In the incubator there are another six eggs waiting for their development process that is approximately 120 days.
This represents a milestone for reptile investigation, as it will help conserve this species, will increase the knowledge of it and help to have more colonies in its natural habitat, Dávalos explained.
“In the future we can think about freeing some of these specimens once you have a safe place in Puerto Vallarta, a place where they are not in danger, we could be in that possibility of releasing specimens,” he concluded.
The challenge is that the nine females of fertile age achieve at least one successful setting, although the results are uncertain due to the low fertility index because they can spawn up to four eggs, although not all are achieved.
With EFE information
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