Hatchlings are always a source of excitement at the Turtle Conservancy, and some are particularly thrilling, like this adorable little Spiny Hill Turtle (Heosemys spinosa) that hatched on July tenth. The origin of their name becomes immediately apparent—the spiky protrusions on their shell, which are known as marginal scutes, offer formidable protection against predators, especially those that might try to swallow them whole. Our keepers can vouch for the sharpness of these spikes. Spiny Hill Turtle's shell is sharpest when they are young, and as they age, they gradually lose these distinctive spikes.

In contrast to many larger tortoise species capable of laying up to 70 eggs at once, the Spiny Hill Turtle typically lays just one egg, occasionally up to a maximum of three, making each egg precious. This limited egg-laying behavior adds to the vulnerability of the species, particularly with the threats of poaching for the pet trade and the destruction of their habitat range. Their declining populations shifted their listing of “Vulnerable” to “Endangered” in 2000.

Turtle Conservancy carefully incubated the egg for four months until this little one emerged into the world. Welcoming this little Spiny Hill Turtle represents renewed hope for the future of this endangered species.