On a sunny morning in August, after more than six years in captivity, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) released eight spotted turtles back into their home watershed on the Coastal Plain of the Commonwealth.
The turtles started their incredible journey home in 2018 when they were confiscated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation as part of a case involving the illegal trafficking of wildlife. The case included 292 animals, including 184 spotted turtles, poached from the wild and destined for markets overseas.
Unfortunately, the beginning of the journey is a common tale. Poaching and trafficking of turtles, primarily for the illegal pet trade, is a major conservation problem, often resulting in turtles dying during the journey or, if interdicted, not being releasable. Thanks to the work of numerous organizations, and after traveling the East Coast, the eight turtles returned to the Commonwealth.
“Being able to be the one to personally release these turtles back to their home was inspiring both professionally and personally,” DWR State Herpetologist John Kleopfer said. “Having been with DWR for 20 years, I’ve sadly seen too many of these situations not end well for these animals. What is also inspiring is that none of this would be possible without the dedication of our law enforcement staff and the numerous individuals and organizations working in concert to address this conservation threat. We hope this is just the beginning of repatriating what might be hundreds of confiscated turtles held in captivity waiting for their chance to return to the wild.”
Although spotted turtles are native to Virginia, it took the work of several organizations and specialized facilities to ensure their survival, determine their native watershed through extensive genetic work and complete disease screenings before they could be released. The team included members of the Collaborative to Combat Illegal Trade in Turtles (CCITT), the Association of Zoos and Aquariums – Saving Animals From Extinction (AZA SAFE) American Turtle Program, the Northeast Spotted Turtle Working Group and the Wildlife Center of Virginia. The turtles were cared for at the Tennessee Aquarium and at Dalton State College in Georgia.
“As leader of the AZA American Turtle SAFE Program, the release of these turtles is especially gratifying,” Dave Collins, Senior Director of Domestic Operations at the Turtle Survival Alliance and Program Leader of the AZA SAFE: American Turtle Program, said. “It not only represents the culmination of many critical steps but also led to the formation of important partnerships that will help build the path for future releases essential in our efforts to combat the illegal trade in our native turtles.”
As part of the monumental effort and with funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Competitive State Wildlife Grants program, a long-term approach to repatriating confiscated turtles has been developed and implemented with the release of the eight turtles back into their native range. Two key aspects of the plan included determining each turtle’s native watershed through genetic testing, done by Virginia Commonwealth University, and, before release, ensuring that the animals are healthy and would not introduce disease or parasites back into the wild.
“At the Wildlife Center, we provided care and housing for the turtles and performed veterinary assessments to ensure they were healthy and disease-free before release,” Wildlife Center of Virginia Director of Veterinary Services Dr. Karra Pierce said. “Each turtle underwent a full health evaluation and was tested for infectious diseases like mycoplasma and herpesvirus to make sure they wouldn’t pose a risk to wild populations. Thankfully, all tested negative and were deemed clinically healthy. It’s exciting to be part of a conservation effort that not only returns healthy animals to the wild but also gives confiscated turtles a second chance to thrive in their natural habitat.”
Numerous challenges are involved with combating wildlife trafficking and the poaching of America’s native species, but with the successful release of eight spotted turtles back into the wilds of Virginia, hope is possible for more to find their way home.
Share
Rebecca Barnabi
