Baby turtles set free in Rouge Park

There are 21 baby turtles swimming in Scarborough's Rouge National Urban Park's wetlands as of Tuesday.

The Toronto Zoo, Parks Canada, and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority released the babyBlanding's turtles to the wild as a part of repopulation efforts. The Blanding's turtles are endangered species.

The groups previouslyreleased 10 Blanding's in June 2014.

"Blanding's turtles are amazing creatures and in some ways they're a poster child for endangered species by helping them, we also help countless other wetland animals and plants, so this is a good news story," said Dr. Andrew Lentini, curator of amphibians and reptiles at the Toronto Zoo.

Eggs were collected and protected for two years prior to the release. After the babies are released, they are monitored on an ongoing basis. The turtles can live up to 80 years.

The groups urge the public to help protect the turtles by avoiding their nesting areas and by contacting authorities if they observe harmful behavior toward turtles or their habitat.

The location of the pond housing the reintroduced turtles will not be disclosed to help minimize disturbances and give the babies the best chance of surviving.