Maryland DNR warns turtle poaching threatens native wildlife populations

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is warning that illegal collection and trade of native turtles and other reptiles are threatening wildlife populations as the agency considers stricter regulations to protect vulnerable species.

The department's Wildlife and Heritage Service is proposing regulatory changes governing the collection, possession, breeding and sale of native reptiles and amphibians.

DNR officials say current regulations allow significant collection of wild animals and do not adequately address modern conservation concerns, including pressure on wild populations, disease transmission and illegal wildlife trade.

The proposed changes aim to establish clearer, more enforceable rules to protect Maryland's native reptiles and amphibians.

Illegal collection and trade also divert resources from other conservation efforts, DNR officials said.

"The illegal collection and trade undermines the hard work that DNR and conservation partners put into supporting healthy wildlife populations, and the response to these cases diverts staff time, funding, and resources away from priority projects," the department said.

"We should be proud of the partnerships that we were able to leverage to get the best outcome for this group of confiscated turtles," said Beth Schlimm, DNR's state herpetologist. "But I don't want people to feel satisfied with how this situation turned out. Placing the surviving turtles in a zoo is good for the well-being of the individuals in this case, but it is not a conservation win for the species."

43 eastern box turtles seized in St. Mary's County

DNR pointed to a case in St. Mary's County in which state and local officials seized 43 eastern box turtles and three painted turtles from a private property.

Officials said the turtles were kept in "abysmal and cramped conditions." Most were highly stressed, in poor body condition and seriously ill.

DNR and St. Mary's County Animal Control staff removed the turtles and transferred them to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Veterinary staff from the Maryland Zoo conducted health assessments and provided supportive care.

Despite those efforts, 27 turtles died or had to be euthanized. The surviving turtles could not be returned to the wild because of concerns about spreading disease.

"Our first consideration is always the well-being of the animals and then, with native turtles, to determine whether they might be safely released into the wild. Due to the conditions these turtles were put through, that unfortunately was not possible due to the risk of spreading disease," said Dr. Ellen Bronson, the Maryland Zoo's senior director of animal health, conservation and research.

Bronson said the surviving turtles were placed at accredited facilities. Some will live at the zoo's box turtle habitat in the Maryland Wilderness exhibit.

The individual involved in the St. Mary's County case was charged with 48 counts of animal cruelty, 53 counts of possession without permits and three counts of failure to obtain a permit. The requested restitution totaled about $4,100.

But officials say the impact on the wild population cannot be undone.

"These are turtles that are no longer reproducing and contributing to the sustainability of the wild population," Schlimm said.

Why turtle poaching threatens populations

DNR officials say turtles are particularly vulnerable to population declines because they take years to reach reproductive maturity and relatively few eggs and hatchlings survive.

For example, female eastern box turtles may take seven to eight years to begin breeding. Eggs and young turtles face threats from multiple predators, making it difficult for populations to replace lost adults.

Many turtles can live 40 years or longer in the wild and may reproduce annually. Removing mature females from the wild can have a significant, lasting impact on population growth.

DNR is urging Maryland residents to leave wildlife in its natural habitat.

"In a rapidly changing world where wildlife is facing massive threats from habitat loss, pollution, disease, and climate change, to name a few, humans must leave animals where they are found," the department said.

The agency also limits the sharing of location information for rare, sensitive or easily poached species to help protect them.