An enthusiastic team of volunteers got together at our rescue center in New Jersey last weekend to help us search for, count, and medically assess turtles rescued from the illegal pet trade before they enter hibernation with the onset of the cold season. The work ahead of this inventory exercise seemed monumental in the face of unseasonable 90° weather.

The majority of the animals living at the center come from confiscations from smugglers trying to export native U.S. species of turtles, including Wood Turtles (Glyptemys insculpta), Box Turtles (Terrapene spp.) and Spotted Turtles (Clemmys guttata). The center is also home to animals confiscated from illegal pet ownership.Maurice Rodrigues, one of the founders of the Turtle Conservancy and an active conservationist, runs the center which provides a caring home for all these confiscated animals…