Wildlife Officer Defies The Odds In A Race Against Time To Stop The Path Of Poaching Destruction
It sounds like a movie thriller but what one officer did is a story to remember and a spark of hope for the thousands of sea turtle eggs which are destroyed every year by poachers. Believe it or not, this event happened in Florida, which surprised even state wildlife officer Captain Jeff Ardelean and his team. They were under the impression that poaching was kept to the minimum along the Florida coast, but they were dead wrong, and this lead them on a chase which ultimately ended with the arrest and sentencing of the two main culprits. After the failure of their strategic placing of a tracking device on the suspect’s car, Ardelean’s officers turned to the traditional route and secretly tracked down the poachers on foot under the cover of darkness. As they uncovered a nest of nearly 500 eggs, the officers revealed themselves and arrested the burglars. The two smugglers were sentenced to seven months in jail with the hope that it will deter other poachers from continuing with their illegal work. Ardelean reports that the use of technology will create an easier situation from him and his team to enforce these laws, but since some devices are still not permitted in Florida, he will have to wait; nevertheless, this will not stop the captain and his team. They will continue their dedicated and dangerous work no matter what the circumstances.
Turtle News From Around the World
Conservation
India: Rescued turtle finds home at nature reserve
UK: Sea turtle release in the hope to boost local population
India: Tourists stretching the limits on beach regulations
AU: Nest site protection results in hatchling Chelodina longicollis
FR: Discover the sea turtle conservation center of the Reunion Islands
India: Turtle Survival Alliance initializing newest conservation facility
USA: Gopherus polyphemus on the path to extinction
Biology
USA: Newest Trachemys discovery lends reason to invasive species dynamics
Crime and Punishment
Spain: Nearly 100 tortoises confiscated from illegal reproduction situation
Miscellany
USA: Mascot to raise awareness for local wildlife
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Photo from Eric Barton.
