The historical presence of Emys orbicularis in Liguria (NW Italy) is confirmed by museum specimens only in the Province of Savona, where the alteration of freshwater habitats have negatively impacted the species, that was considered locally extinct by the end of the last century. However, recent findings proved the existence of few remnant breeding populations and since 2000 public authorities and private entities are cooperating in preserving the breeding sites and in rearing Emys in controlled conditions. After 14 years from the starting of the project all the natural sites are now included in Natura 2000 sites and since 2008, 153 terrapins, bred in the " Centro Emys " and in the " Acquario di Genova " , have been restocked in the wild. A LIFE+ Nature project was co-financed in the 2013 by the EU Community (LIFE EMYS-LIFE12 NAT/IT/000395) with the objective of conservation of the European pond turtle in two Ligurian wetlands habitats, through the eradication of alien species, the habitat restoration and the restocking.