SOUTHERN FRESHWATER TURTLES

Unregulated commercial collection of freshwater turtles in southern states is depleting native turtle populations, including rare map turtle species that may already be at risk of extinction. Freshwater turtles — called “terrapins” — are long living and slow growing, and they have low reproductive and survival rates. In southern states, they’re facing increasing and unsustainable commercial harvest to supply the pet industry as well as food markets in Southeast Asia. Removing even a few adults from the wild can cause population crashes for freshwater turtles, so large-scale collection is an added threat for turtle species already suffering from loss of important nesting areas, water pollution, and road mortality.

Unsustainable numbers of turtles are being captured from the wild in southern states that do not have adequate harvest regulations. Over a quarter million wild-caught turtles were exported from a single airport in Texas from 2002 to 2005. Recent surveys show depletions and even extirpations of freshwater turtles in most Oklahoma streams. Herpetologists have reported drastic population depletions and even extirpation of most southern map turtle species in Georgia and Florida. Map turtles are drainage specific: each watershed that drains into the Gulf of Mexico produces a brilliant unique geophysical coloration and pattern on the map turtles’ shell and skin. Many map turtles in Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, and Georgia warrant federal protection under the Endangered Species Act.

OUR CAMPAIGN

In 2004 the Center petitioned to list the Cagle’s map turtle, a rare riverine turtle that survives only in the Guadalupe River system in Texas — a species placed on the federal candidate list in 1977 but still without federal protection. And in 2007 our allies petitioned the state of Texas to ban all commercial harvest of freshwater turtles. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department voted to end commercial harvest in public waters, but continued to allow unlimited commercial harvest of seven species from private waters.

In 2008 the Center and an alliance of conservation and health groups petitioned the states of Florida, Oklahoma, Georgia, and Texas to ban commercial harvest of all native freshwater turtles in those states. The petitions asked for harvest regulations to prevent further depletions of native turtle populations and to protect public health. Freshwater turtles collected in these states and sold as food are often contaminated with mercury, PCBs, and other toxins and pollutants. Also in 2008, along with allies, we submitted an emergency petition to the Texas Department of Health to ban all commercial turtle harvest in Texas, due to the significant public health risk from consumption of turtles known to be contaminated with toxins and pollutants.

Currently, the Center has determined that nine unprotected southern turtle species may warrant federal Endangered Species Act listing and we’re conducting status reviews for potential listing petitions.