Concept and design of the Madagascar side-necked turtle Erymnochelys madagascariensis breeding facility at Ampijoroa, Madagascar

Ankarafantsika is the only protected area in Madagascar with good habitat f or the endangered, endemic freshwater turtle Erymnochelys madagascariensis, but due to exploitation many populations are already depleted. A conservat ion strategy for the species at Ankarafantsika was developed in 1997 and in cludes a captive breeding and rearing operation to produce juvenile turtles for reintroduction and population augmentation. A facility comprising 22 s pacious concrete ponds and a laboratory was built in Ampijoroa and is opera ted by Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. A motor pump is used to fill th e ponds with water from a nearby lake and all ponds have a drainage system. Ponds are designed differently for hatchlings, juveniles, adult females an d males. Females have access to beach areas where eggs will be incubated na turally. The facility can hold at least six adult females and males and pro vides for at least 200 hatchlings to be raised for two to three years.