The pond turtles have arrived in Umianowice. They are expected to make their home in the Nida delta

Although they disappeared from our landscape decades ago, soon the sight of a pond turtle in the wild should not surprise anyone. Scientists are working to restore their populations in the region. 50 baby turtles have already arrived at the nature center in Umianowice. They will be released in a few months.

They have a huge appetite, thanks to which they grow very fast. – Their weight shows that they just feel good. We weigh them before feeding, of course, to see how much turtle there is in the turtle,” jokes Dariusz Wiech of the Complex of Świętokrzyskie and Nadnidziański Landscape Parks.

The pond turtles came to the nature center in Umianowice from Polesie National Park. Since then, they have grown almost fourfold. This is important, as they are about to be released into the wild. “The turtles we acquired are juveniles, they were born last autumn, so now they would be easy food for predators,” Wojciech Soltysiak of the Complex of Świętokrzyskie and Nadnidziańskie Landscape Parks.

Pond turtles in the region could still be found in the 1990s. Unfortunately, through human activity, like many other species, they have become extinct in the area. Now scientists from the Complex of Świętokrzyskie and Nadnidziańskie Landscape Parks want to restore their population in Ponidzie. -”We want to prepare favorable conditions for them in the habitat so that they will then multiply in our area. We want to save the species,” declares Dariusz Wiech of the Complex of Świętokrzyskie and Nadnidziański Landscape Parks.

To create suitable living conditions for the animals, naturalists carried out a series of hydrological works. As a result, the wetland character of the meadows near Umianowice has been restored. Work on the Life 4 Delta project was completed several months ago. The effect is already visible. “Species that were not observed here until recently are returning to the restored wetlands. They are returning, even though the food base here was not yet ready. And they had already arrived and were foraging,” says Andrzej Łukasik of the Complex of Świętokrzyskie and Nadnidziański Landscape Parks.

The Nida Delta restoration project covers more than 500 hectares. The turtles will be released in the fall.