Watch | Turtles reintroduced to their real homes
Fourteen turtles threatened in the western United States were reintroduced to the wild in Oregon on Wednesday (May 18).The western pond turtles, reared in captivity by the Oregon Zoo, were released into that state's Columbia River Gorge by the institution.Video of the release shows the reptiles, which included youths and adults, being freed. The turtles can grow to about eight inches (22 cm) long.Western pond turtles were once common in the states west of the Rocky Mountains, according to the zoo. But the introduction of non indigenous bullfrogs. to the region has proven to be a major hindrance to young turtles and other small aquatic animals preyed upon by the amphibians.The turtles are now listed as a threatened species in Oregon and endangered in Washington, according to the United States Department of Fish and Wildlife.The Oregon Zoo and other conservation groups now grow some turtles in captivity until they are large enough to fend off the frogs. Over 1,500 western pond turtles have been reintroduced to the region in this manner in the last 25 years, they said.