Rare Tortoise Hatchlings Hesitantly Take Their First Swim

The first of a group of rare tortoise hatchlings began to take their first faltering steps into the water at Perth Zoo in late April, where a breeding program is aiming to increase population numbers.

Staff at the zoo added a drop of coloured nail polish to each shell in order to differentiate between the young Western Swamp Tortoises, all of which are expected to have hatched by late May, the zoo said in a statement.

As seen in footage published on April 24, the tiny creatures are not very agile, and it can take as long as 45 minutes for a newborn tortoise to grow accustomed to swimming.

The species is listed as one of Australia’s most endangered reptiles and has the smallest surviving population of any Australian reptile. Credit: Perth Zoo via Storyful