Thirteen species of American turtles received an early holiday gift this year: international protection to help conserve the wild populations of these reptiles, which are in decline.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced on December 16 that it is granting international protection for the alligator snapping turtle (Macroclemys temminckii) and all 12 species of North American map turtles (Graptemys spp.) by placing them on Appendix III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. The listing, which goes into effect on June 14, 2006, represents ten years of work by various groups, notably The Humane Society of the United States which spearheaded the efforts.
The Appendix III listing will, among other things, give the federal government oversight of the international trade in these 13 turtle species, whose survival in the wild is threatened by collection for the pet trade, both domestic and international, and for human consumption. In announcing the listing, USFWS Director Dale Hall said,"Wild populations of these turtles continue to decline…an Appendix-III listing would allow us to reinforce state protections for these species and provide key trade information to better conserve these vulnerable species."
The USFWS noted in a press release that the turtles' listing marked the first time the United States had used "Appendix III to protect native species."
A Decade in the Making
In 1995, The HSUS was the first organization to recommend that the U.S. government submit proposals to list the alligator snapping turtle and map turtles on CITES Appendix II. The USFWS agreed and submitted the proposals at the 1996 meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES. The proposals didn't receive enough support for approval (two-thirds of the countries present and voting must vote 'yes' on a proposal to list a species on Appendix II); the European Union, for instance, opposed the proposals on the basis of a misunderstanding of U.S. law.
The U.S. delegation then stated its intention to list the species on CITES Appendix III (which can be done without the support of other countries). But such listing is not necessarily achieved quickly, and it wasn't until 2000 that the USFWS announced its proposal to place the species on Appendix III, which opened the door to public comments. The HSUS and many others voiced support for this move.
"A decade has passed since The HSUS first called attention to the harm caused by international trade in these species," said Dr. Teresa Telecky, director of the Wildlife Trade Program for Humane Society International. "We are pleased that the turtles will finally get the international protection they need."
Meet the Species
The alligator snapping turtle is the world's largest freshwater turtle; generally speaking, the turtle's carapace can reach 26 inches in length, and the animal can weigh up to 176 pounds. The alligator snapping turtle lives in the rivers and lakes of 15 Midwestern and Southern states (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas). Hatchlings, some whom are bred in captivity on "farms," are sold in the domestic and international pet trade; adults are taken from the wild to stock the farms and to be sold as food both in the United States and abroad. (The principal overseas markets are Japan and Hong Kong.)
The species cannot withstand significant collection from the wild, because it is so slow to reproduce; the turtle doesn't reach sexual maturity until 11 to 13 years old, and then females produce only one eight- to 52-egg clutch each year. According to the USFWS, trade in alligator snapping turtles has grown enormously, from 290 turtles exported in 1989 to at least 23,780 exported in 2000.
There are 12 species of North American map turtles, which live in freshwater rivers and lakes from Florida to Texas as well as in North Dakota, South Dakota, and parts of Quebec, Canada. Two map turtle species (the yellow-blotched and ringed) are already on the list of threatened species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, while another (Cagle's map turtle) is a candidate for listing. Other map turtle species are on state endangered and threatened lists. The USFWS says that the number of map turtles exported (both captive-bred and wild-caught) from the United States grew from 600 in 1989 to more than 200,000 in 2000.
How Will Appendix III Listing Help?
The CITES Appendix III listing will protect these turtle species in several ways. First, it will provide federal oversight of the international trade in each species. Each export of these turtles will require a permit from the USFWS, which will grant a permit only if the agency is satisfied that the turtles were legally obtained and if the turtles will be handled and shipped in a way that minimizes the risk of injury, damage to health, or cruel treatment.
Second, Appendix III listing will require other countries that export these species to issue a certificate. This paper trail will allow nations, for the first time, to collect accurate trade data. In time, that data will reveal actual trade levels and global trade routes, information that cannot currently be obtained because the trade isn't regulated. Such information will be useful in clarifying whether these turtles indeed meet the criteria for listing on Appendix II, as was proposed a decade ago. An Appendix II listing requires governments to determine that export will not be detrimental to the survival of the species before they grant an export permit.
Turtle advocates were cheering the milestone of the Appendix III listing for map and alligator snapping turtles. "Currently, exported turtles are not always transported in a humane manner," said HSI's Telecky. "We are particularly pleased that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will now be able to legally enforce humane transport standards to protect these turtles from cruel treatment."
