Endangered Manning River turtles released into wild after egg rescue during Black SummerIn a milestone moment, conservationists have released 10 endangered Manning River turtles back into the wild as steps to save the species continue.Key points:- Conservationists have released 10 endangered Manning River turtles back into the wild- The turtles were rescued as eggs in 2020 during the bushfire disaster- It's hoped the release of the turtles will help boost the species' chance of successfully breeding and expandingFeaturing a distinctive yellow stripe, the Australian turtle lives only in the middle and upper reaches of the Manning River catchment on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales.In a bid to prevent the turtle becoming extinct, a range of conservation measures are underway, including a breeding program established by the conservation organisation Aussie Ark in partnership with other conservation groups.Young turtles provide hope for speciesThe program has been supported by the Australian government's wildlife rescue and rehabilitation initiative following the bushfire disaster of 2019/20, as well as partners with the Australian Reptile Park, the Re:wild conservation organisation and NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service (WIRES).Head of reptiles at the Australian Reptile Park Jake Meney has been involved in raising the turtles and says their release will provide a significant boost to the species' overall population."