It's Shell Time, Baby!

Since opening its doors in 1992, the Aquarium has shone a bright spotlight on the world's 300+ species of turtles. In the decades since, our experts have had much success hatching and raising new generations of turtles, including some critically endangered species on the brink of extinction in the wild.

In this episode, two of our lead herpetology experts talk about what it takes to raise these baby chelonians, from what they eat to how they wrestle their way out of their eggs (occasionally with a little bit of help). We'll also dive deep into what you can see in our working turtle nursery, which is undoubtedly the focal point of our Turtles of the World gallery.

Watch a video highlighting a recent success story with hatching a record-setting clutch of critically endangered Arakan Forest Turtles! https://youtu.be/xZxaV8gFIJ8?si=Sm968-bsMKWKXwFc

Episode Cast

Casey Phillips, senior communications specialist, host and baby turtle fan
Bill Hughes, herpetology collections coordinator
Charlie Olson, senior herpetologist

The Podcast Aquatic is made possible by support from The Tennessee Conservationist, the official magazine of Tennessee State Parks.

Printed sustainably on 100% post-consumer recycled paper with UV ink, each issue is filled with fascinating stories about Tennessee’s native species, rich history, and unique culture. It’s also your guide to exploring state parks and planning your next outdoor adventure.

Become a Tennessee Conservationist and subscribe at tnconservationist.org.

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Episoder(80)

Telling BIG Fish Stories

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A Six-Story Celebration

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28 Aug 1h 10min

Season 2 Finale: A Jolly Good Fellowship

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22 Jul 43min

A Quick Drop-in with Oscar the Sea Turtle

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15 Jul 34min

A First-class Freshwater Filmmaker (feat. Jeremy Monroe)

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1 Jul 1h 4min

Surprise, It's a Baby Lemur!

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17 Jun 56min