| |
4.
Don’t keep chelonians as pets.Collection
of turtles from the wild for the pet trade has endangered numerous populations
of turtles and tortoises throughout the world. Within the Lone Star state, every
species of sea turtle, Cagle’s map turtle, the Mexican Plateau mud turtle, the
Texas tortoise, and the Texas diamond-backed terrapin are declining in numbers
and are protected from harassment, death, and collection by law. Even in cases
where it is legal to collect turtles from the wild to supply pet owners, ripping
a chelonian out of its natural, wild environment is a theft on many different
levels. Firstly, the turtle is being robbed of its ability to thrive and reproduce
in the native home to which it has grown accustomed, an environment that fulfills
its needs and exercises all of its instincts. Usually thrust from a world of diversity
and freedom into a comparatively tiny tank prison with artificial light, inadequate
resources, and a monotonous supermarket-supplied diet, captive turtles often perish
long before their years from disease, malnutrition, or another consequence of
captive housing. The stolen shelled life holds drawbacks for its native ecosystem
as well. Every individual in the natural world represents a unique set of genes
to be passed on to the next generation, contributing to future adaptations that
we can only begin to imagine. Each life also plays an irreplaceable role in the
ecosystem. All threads of the food web that are torn by the pet turtle’s confiscation
weaken the integrity of the entire system. Lastly, collection of turtles from
the wild is a theft of opportunities for the study of behaviour and beauty in
nature for all Texans who share this chelonian-filled state. Turtles and tortoises
can open our eyes to the wonder and brilliance of the natural world in which we
live: from wildlife watchers searching for that rare species in its native habitat,
to tubers lazily drifting down a winding river and chuckling at each “splunk splash”
of a nervous basking slider off a log, to graduate students measuring and following
diamond-backed terrapins to better understand how to conserve their dwindling
populations, to a young child marveling at the three-toed box turtle trudging
across the backyard like so many armored dinosaurs of the past. Each of these
moments is stolen every time a turtle is collected to sit until its death in a
barren enclosure in a store or as an oddity on a shelf in someone’s house. |
 |
| These turtles were
among the 500 baby sliders and cooters for which Dove
Key Ranch Wildlife Rehabilitation, Inc. provided sanctuary following
one of the biggest animal seizures in U.S. history. Arlington, TX-based U.S. Global
Exotics, a pet distributor and supplier to such large chains as PETCO and PetSmart,
had its stock of over 20,000 animals confiscated in 2009, following charges of
inhumane and horrifying conditions as well as illegal collection of and trade
in protected wildlife species. |
Even
captive-bred turtles from the pet trade can pose a threat to wild Texas chelonians.
Any turtle kept in a captive environment or that has had interaction with a turtle
or tortoise that has been housed in a captive environment risks exposure to diseases
that spread quickly in the cramped, unclean conditions that often plague pet suppliers
and/or collectors. Once an illness is introduced into a naÔve group of wild
chelonians, it can spread like wildfire, potentially wiping out the entire population
or species. Tortoises that have grown too large to be convenient pets or turtles
that have outlived the interest of their caretakers are often released into the
wild. These unfortunate cast-offs of apathetic pet owners often die from starvation,
exposure, or predation as they have no knowledge of their new habitat: where to
find food, water, or shelter, for instance. However, in the short period of time
during which they aimlessly roam their new environs, they will leave an indelible
mark by contaminating the native chelonian residents with whatever bacterial,
fungal, and viral infections they have accumulated in captivity.
ALL
turtles and tortoises, native or non-native, wild-caught or captive-bred need
very specialized care as far as diet, UVA/UVB lighting, heating requirements,
humidity levels, and housing (hiding spots, deep substrate for burrowing, number
and distribution of basking areas, seasonal sociability, etc.). Unless you are
ready to learn everything that is known about the natural history of and devote
a great deal of money, time, and energy to your chelonian pet, stick to zoological
collections, nature center educational animals, and free-living wild shelled ones
to enjoy communing with these ectothermic wonders. And, if you’re looking for
a truly low maintenance pet for little Bobby or Suzy, go with a goldfish. See
Top
ten ways Texans can help our turtles and tortoises
Tip 1
- 2 - 3
- 4 - 5
- 6 - 7
- 8 - 9
- 10 ©
Bonnie Wroblewski
http://www.dovekeywildlife.org
May 27, 2011
More
"Animal of the Month" Series | | |
