CHARLESTON, S.C.— Ten states still allow unlimited commercial harvesting of some or all native turtle species, contributing to export practices that threaten the survival of wild populations, according to a new report by the Center for Biological Diversity.
The report, Robbing the Wild: How 10 States’ Refusal to Ban Trapping Is Hurting America’s Wild Turtles, describes how laws that permit trappers to take unlimited numbers of turtles contributes to the export of hundreds of thousands of native turtles from the United States each year and enables illegal trade. The states with weak laws include Arkansas, Delaware, Louisiana, Maryland, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont and Wyoming.
“When turtles are ripped from the wild to meet the voracious demand of international markets, it has profound consequences for wildlife and wild places here at home,” said Elise Bennett, a Center attorney dedicated to protecting imperiled reptiles and amphibians…
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Exposing the Big Game 