RI Man Charged With 16 Counts of Possession of a Protected Reptile Without a Permit
Thursday, September 29, 2022
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management’s Division of Law Enforcement has charged a man for illegally possessing — and attempting to sell — protected turtles.
DEM announced the following.
"This week, Rhode Island Environmental Police Officers from DEM's Division of Law Enforcement found 16 Eastern Musk Turtle hatchlings, a species native to RI and the Eastern US, in the home of a West Warwick man suspected of illegally advertising them for sale on Craigslist and Facebook.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe case resulted from a week-long investigation where the suspect offered two hatchlings to undercover Environmental Police Officers for purchase. He also indicated he was in possession of 16 musk turtle hatchlings in both direct communications and online ad postings. The suspect has been charged with 16 counts of 'Possession of a Protected Reptile or Amphibian without a Permit.'
The turtles were seized and transferred to Roger Williams Park Zoo & Carousel Village where they have a room dedicated to the care of turtles seized from the illegal turtle trade. The turtles will be released back into the wild after clearing health screenings and disease testing. The equipment and space for their rehabilitation are made possible by a grant from The Association of Zoos and Aquariums, North American Turtle Safe Program.
Removing wildlife from its natural habitat to keep as a pet isn't just illegal – it can have major impacts on Rhode Island's native ecosystems. Biologically, turtles are especially vulnerable to over-collection. Some species must reproduce for their entire lives to ensure just one hatchling survives to adulthood. And it takes years, sometimes decades, for turtles to reach reproductive age, if they make it at all. Most fall victim to predators before they mature. RI's turtles are also threatened by habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, and car strikes when crossing roads. Learn about RI Reptile and Amphibian Rules and Regulations here.
Help us protect our state's precious natural resources for future generations. Protect our native species by reporting suspected illegal collection and other fish or wildlife violations to Rhode Island Environmental Police at 401-222-3070 (24/7). Remember never to share turtle locations online! It can be exciting to see turtles in the wild, and to share your discovery.
But before you take a photo of a turtle in the wild, turn off the geolocation on your phone. If you post a turtle photo on social media, don't include information about where you found it. Poachers use location information to target sites. Instead, you can help by becoming a community scientist and submitting your observations of amphibians and reptiles to DEM scientists using the Herp Observer app."
To learn more about Rhode Island's turtles go here.
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