Galapagos Airport Officials Thwart Tortoise Smugglers
Sign Our Petition to Stop Poaching of Native Turtles!
The United States has a wildlife trafficking crisis closer to home than most people realize: native turtles are disappearing from lands and waters and ending up in the hands of poachers across the country.
For those who are witnessing this crisis first hand—conservation professionals, biologists, and wildlife law enforcement officials—there is a consensus that immediate action is needed to prevent the removal of native turtles from the wild before irreversible damage is done to both rare and more common species, from Bog Turtles to Box Turtles. The U.S. is a global biological hotspot for turtles, home to 57 species, including some that only live here.
Conviction of Turtle Poacher
Another illegal smuggling operation has been thwarted by U.S. wildlife officials. Last month, a man pleaded guilty to coordinating the trafficking of North American turtles to China. He was arrested in February after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (along with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service) documented him and an accomplice purchasing over 300 wild turtles from dealers around the U.S. over a 13-month period…