The Turtle Ark
One of the world's most endangered groups of animals, which have existed on earth for over 200 million years, are turtles. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)'s Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group reports that over 60% of the world's turtle species are threatened with extinction. It is human progress that has caused the turtles to decline. Forests and streams are vacuumed in search of turtles to sell as pets or as delicacies. Their habitats disappear when forests are cut down, wetlands ditched and rivers dammed. The situation is most acute in Asia, where all of the nearly 100 turtle species are endangered. Of species that were once numerous in lakes and river systems, today only a few hundred individuals exist, sometimes as few as a few dozen. To preserve some of the world's most endangered turtles, Nordens Ark started the project On the edge of extinction - an Ark for the world's turtles. Through the project, Nordens Ark is building a unique breeding center and creating insurance populations where some of the world's most vulnerable species can find refuge and reproduce for future releases. The project also aims to create conditions for long-term survival in the species' original environments by building cooperation with local organizations and authorities.
The entrance to the Turtle Ark.
What does Nordens Ark do?
Nordens Ark's breeding center An Ark for the world's turtles is home to several of the world's most endangered turtle species with a special focus on large and more space-consuming species from Asia. The situation for many of these species is acute. Improving the situation in the wild will take a long time and for some species time is running out. The only solution to ensure their survival is to keep insurance populations in breeding facilities. Insurance populations are managed through strict breeding programs in collaboration between different actors in order to maintain as much genetic variation as possible. The ultimate goal is to be able to re-implant species in protected areas within their former distribution areas in the future. This presupposes that the threats have been handled and that adequate protective measures are in place. The project will, in collaboration with local organizations and authorities, initiate and support nature conservation measures to preserve / re-establish wild populations. Without a insurance population, intensive work with authorities and local people regarding nature conservation measures and information, the species will never be able to be returned to their natural environment.
Our work focuses on the following strategic areas:
- To drive and participate in insurance populations in order to be able to return species to the wild in the future
- To preserve species within their natural range
- To inform and engage children and adults in the work of conserving turtles
Spotted pond turtle at the Turtle Ark.
News from the project - January 2026
In 2025, Nordens Ark became part of the European rescue programme for the Burmese star tortoise, as the species was introduced to the Turtle Ark. The species is critically endangered, and illegal trade remains a serious threat despite successful breeding and reintroduction programmes in Myanmar.
At present, a breeding attempt is underway for the critically endangered Southern river terrapin. Only a few institutions worldwide keep this species, and there has been just one documented successful breeding in Europe. To recreate a rainy season and provide the best possible conditions for breeding, both water temperature and water depth in the pools have been adjusted. These changes have resulted in the male developing his striking breeding coloration and actively courting the females. The breeding attempt forms part of our work to help secure the species’ future and contribute to the rescue population of the Southern river terrapin.
In collaboration with:
