US Fish and Wildlife Service

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Turtle Smuggler Sentenced

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Turtle Smuggler Sentenced

In December of 2019 we shared the news of a turtle trafficking network that had been uncovered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Postal Service. The two year long investigation documented a plan to illegally export over 769 native North American turtles (of many protected species) to China for the international pet trade. The investigation led to the arrest of a Chinese national and halted this particular operation. Nearly three years after his arrest, the man who pleaded guilty to purchasing and planning to export these turtles was finally sentenced earlier this month…

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Conviction of Turtle Poacher

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Conviction of Turtle Poacher

Another illegal smuggling operation has been thwarted by U.S. wildlife officials. Last month, a man pleaded guilty to coordinating the trafficking of North American turtles to China. He was arrested in February after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (along with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service) documented him and an accomplice purchasing over 300 wild turtles from dealers around the U.S. over a 13-month period…

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Wildlife Trade Update

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Wildlife Trade Update

The Turtle Conservancy continues to assist the US Fish and Wildlife Service in triage management of confiscated turtles and tortoises from the illegal wildlife trade. In total, the Turtle Conservancy has taken in over 100 animals in 2018. The majority of which are U.S. species being exported to Asia…

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US Fish & Wildlife Service Media Event

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The Turtle Conservancy works alongside the US Fish and Wildlife Service to help facilitate law enforcement and seizures of illegally traded turtles and tortoises. When live turtles and tortoises are confiscated in and around Los Angeles International Airport, the TC offers free accommodations for these homeless travelers, some of whom originate halfway around the world in places like Southeast Asia.

Operation Jungle Book, a law enforcement initiative led by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service that targeted wildlife smuggling, has resulted in federal criminal charges against 16 defendants who allegedly participated in the illegal importation and/or transportation of numerous animal species – including a tiger, monitor lizards, cobras, Asian “lucky” fish, turtles, exotic songbirds and several coral species…

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