This is the moment US zoo experts release 23 endangered turtles into their natural habitat in the Columbia River. The 23 western pond turtles (Actinemys marmorata) were released in the Columbia River Gorge, forming the natural boundary between the states of Oregon and Washington, after being reared in a laboratory at Oregon Zoo since the autumn. The Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) categorizes western pond turtles as ‘vulnerable’.