Manning River turtle eggs for Easter? Aussie Ark's are hatching

Move aside chocolate eggs...and hello turtle eggs.

In Aussie Ark's Conservation Ark facility all three species of their endangered freshwater turtles have laid eggs, with a grand total of 108, 48 of them being Manning River turtle eggs.

It's a first for the organisation, and resident Easter Bunny (operations manager) Billy Collett couldn't be more thrilled.

"We've had reproductive success with the Manning River turtle, Bells turtle and Hunter River turtle," Mr Collett said.

"So this year I'm Aussie Ark's proud Easter Bunny, guarding over this precious collection of eggs."

The fragile white eggs - no bigger than a 10 cent piece - have been cared for in Conservation Ark's incubator room for the past two months. And now they're hatching!

"It's amazing to see the hatchlings emerge, like miniature dinosaurs!" Mr Collett said.

The hatchlings will be cared for at Conservation Ark for many months before they are fully mature and independent, after which they'll be released back into the wild river systems where they belong. This unique conservation method eliminates feral predation from the turtles' life cycle; the fox and cat both eat turtle eggs, driving wild populations to extinction.

"This is an expensive journey...we need your help," Mr Collett said.

"So this Easter while you eat your chocolate eggs please help our turtle eggs."

Every donation goes in the draw to win an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the Conservation Ark facility and come face to face with the Easter hatchlings.

Donate at www.aussieark.org.au/donate.