Tennessee Aquarium herpetologists have been quite busy recently. Six red-necked pond turtles, Mauremys nigricans, hatched recently from eggs that were laid in the Asian River exhibit about two months ago. The adults are currently on display in that display. The Tennessee Aquarium is currently the only U.S. zoo working with this species, which is considered endangered in the wild in its native China.

Three yellow-blotched map turtles, Graptemys flavimaculata, also hatched recently. This species is classified as Threatened by the Endangered Species Act. Some of the babies from last year are on display in the nursery tanks in Turtle World gallery.

Newly hatched turtle babies like these still have their egg tooth which they use to break out of the eggshell. It's the white, pointed object in the close-up images below the turtle's nostrils.