Zoo sets 22 endangered turtles free in Columbia River Gorge: 'We need to do our part'

Zoo sets 22 endangered turtles free in Columbia River Gorge: 'We need to do our part'

A hopeful wildlife release in the Columbia River Gorge is getting attention for all the right reasons. Officials from the Oregon Zoo released 22 endangered northwestern pond turtles in the gorge this week after being raised in captivity long enough to improve their odds in the wild. What happened? As The Columbian detailed, the turtles were gathered as hatchlings in the gorge last spring by Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife biologists and…