The Endangered Species Act of 1973 was implemented with the purpose of protecting Threatened and Endangered Plants Wildlife, not only native, but non-native, as well. Whether it meets this purpose is a frequently debated topic. There are number of aspects of this Act that apply to the hobby of keeping turtles and private efforts toward conservation. The long-term purpose of the ESA is to eventually be able to remove the listed species because a restoration program has returned the species to levels where they are not threatened or endangered. In addition to the parts of the Act that prohibit activities of keepers and breeders, there are parts which impact landowners, as well. Here we will focus on the impacts to turtles and their keepers.
The ESA (Endangered Species Act) impacts turtle keepers in the prohibitions listed above. The prohibition hardest on breeders is the inability to participate in interstate commerce (which includes trade or barter) to exchange offspring with other breeders with the goals of maintaining the genetic quality of the colony and moving surplus offspring to keepers desiring to work with the species. Its greatest impact is on the ability of private keepers to help extend the existence of these endangered and threatened species and return them to the wild through breeding and head-start programs. Zoos and Aquariums have it a little easier. They can transfer specimens between each other and recognized programs sponsored by a zoo, aquarium or the government. Permits may be granted to participate in these prohibited activities, however, they are extremely difficult to obtain for many species, especially for species native to the U.S.
For those that do not already possess these species, it is exceptionally difficult to acquire them because of the same prohibitions. Because breeders of these species exist in few states, those outside those states are left with no real way to acquire ESA-listed animals, other than being lucky enough to have someone willing to give them as a documented gift. However, because the cost is so high, that is unusual.
Up to Date as of September 2016; Source – Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
Species Name | Common Name | Locality Protected |
---|---|---|
Apalone spinifera atra | Cuatro Cienegas/Black Spiny Softshell | Entire |
Astrochelys radiata | Madagascar Radiated Tortoise | Entire |
Astrochelys yniphora | Ploughshare Tortoise | Entire |
Batagur baska | Northern River Terrapin | Entire |
Caretta caretta | Loggerhead Seaturtle | Entire |
Chelonia mydas | Green Seaturtle | Entire |
Chelonoidis nigra ssp. | Galapagos Tortoises | Entire |
Dermatemys mawii | Central American River Turtle | Entire |
Dermochelys coriacea | Leatherback Seaturtle | Entire |
Eretmochelys imbricata | Hawksbill Seaturtle | Entire |
Geoclemys hamiltonii | Indian Spotted Pond Turtle | Entire |
Glyptemys muhlenbergii | Bog Turtle | Entire |
Gopherus agassizii | Mojave Desert Tortoise | Entire |
Gopherus flavomarginatus | Bolson Tortoise | Entire |
Gopherus polyphemus | Gopher Tortoise | Entire |
Graptemys flavimaculata | Yellow-Blotched Map Turtle | Entire |
Graptemys oculifera | Ringed Map Turtle | Entire |
Kinosternon sonoriense longifemorale | Sonoyta Mud Turtle | Entire |
Lepidochelys kempii | Kemp's Ridley Seaturtle | Entire |
Lepidochelys olivacea | Olive Ridley Seaturtle | Entire |
Melanochelys tricarinata | Tricarinate Hill Turtle | Entire |
Mesoclemmys hogei | Hoge's Sideneck Turtle | Entire |
Morenia ocellata | Burmese Eyed Turtle | Entire |
Nilssonia gangetica | Indian Softshell Turtle | Entire |
Nilssonia hurum | Indian Peacock Softshell Turtle | Entire |
Nilssonia nigricans | Black Softshell Turtle | Entire |
Pangshura tecta | Indian Roofed/Indian Tent Turtle | Entire |
Podocnemis expansa | Giant Amazon River Turtle | Entire |
Podocnemis unifilis | Yellow-Headed River Turtle | Entire |
Psammobates geometricus | Geometric Tortoise | Entire |
Pseudemydura umbrina | Western Swamp Turtle | Entire |
Pseudemys alabamensis | Alabama Red-Bellied Cooter | Entire |
Pseudemys rubriventris | Northern Red-Bellied Cooter | Massachusetts |
Sternotherus depressus | Flattened Musk Turtle | Entire |
Terrapene coahuila | Coahuilan Box Turtle | Entire |
Trachemys callirostris | Colombian Slider | Entire |
Trachemys stejnegeri malonei | Inagua Slider | Entire |
Trachemys terrapen | Jamaican Slider | Entire |
Full Text .pdf of the Endangered Species Act (does not include listed species)
U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, Title 50, Part 17 (application of the ESA)
Disclaimer: These links are posted mainly to provide the various opinions that exist on the Endangered Species Act. While we agree with some of the things in these links, we also disagree with some of the things in these links.
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