Soft-Shelled Turtle Populations Improve in Israel Amid Conservation Efforts

Soft-shelled turtles (Trionyx triunguis) in Israel, once critically endangered, are showing signs of recovery thanks to concerted conservation efforts by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA) and local drainage authorities. Historically abundant in the mid-20th century, their numbers declined sharply due to habitat loss, predation, and environmental changes. Today, the species remains endangered but no longer critically so.

Most breeding activity occurs along coastal streams such as Nahal Alexander, Nahal Naaman, and the Yarkon River, where turtles face threats from development, hydrological changes, and nest predation. Each breeding season, INPA staff locate and protect nests by fencing them to prevent predation. In 2025, over 160 nests were recorded, surpassing previous annual counts of 77 to 113 nests between 2018 and 2025. This marks the best breeding season in years, with successful hatching rates around 51% and reduced predation in protected sites.

Dr. Dana Milshtein, an aquatic habitat ecologist at INPA, highlighted the unprecedented increase in nesting, including new nesting sites previously unrecorded. Permanent and seasonal nesting farms have been established, including fenced areas in Nahal Alexander and new fences erected last year in Ein Afek and Nahal Naaman reserves. The Yarkon River has seen notable recovery, with nesting sites reestablished following habitat restoration and predator control.

In addition to coastal populations, a non-native population introduced in the 1960s exists in northern Israel’s Hula Valley wetlands. However, these turtles were found to prey on ground-nesting bird eggs, prompting INPA to relocate adults back to coastal streams to protect native ecosystems.

While the exact cause of the nesting increase is unclear, it may relate to environmental factors such as recent wet winters. The dramatic rise in nests, especially in Nahal Naaman where numbers increased from about ten to over sixty nests per season, indicates positive ecological changes and successful conservation interventions.

Summary: Israel’s soft-shelled turtle populations are recovering due to targeted conservation efforts, with record nesting numbers recorded in 2025 across coastal streams, signaling improved habitat conditions and species stabilization.

Points: - Soft-shelled turtles in Israel have increased nesting to over 160 nests in 2025, a record high. - Conservation efforts include nest fencing and habitat restoration along coastal streams. - Successful hatching rates reached approximately 51%, with reduced predation in protected areas. - New nesting sites have appeared, including in the Yarkon River after restoration work. - Non-native turtles in northern wetlands were relocated due to ecological concerns. - The nesting increase may be linked to favorable environmental conditions like wetter winters.

Topic: environment

Entities: {"people":["Dana Milshtein","Liav Shalem"],"organizations":["Israel Nature and Parks Authority"],"places":["Nahal Alexander","Nahal Naaman","Yarkon River","Ein Afek Reserve","Hula Valley","Israel"]}