Why taking home 1 wild turtle could hurt the entire population

Shelburne, Vermont - July 22, 2010

Wood turtles used to flourish in Vermont but their population has rapidly declined, due in large part, to humans. Steve Parren of the Vt. Fish and Wildlife Department studies turtles, like the snapper. He says wood turtles are a species of greatest conservation need. It is illegal in Vermont to possess native turtle species. Yet they are still traded and sold through dealers. Parren says even moving a turtle in the wild can have disastrous results.

"Even if you take it home to show your family, then release it, it's lost. They know their habitat, know the landscape that they live in, and when you remove them all bets are off," Parren said.

Most of the time people do not realize that taking a turtle is illegal. But Parren says the results are long lasting.

"So if somebody takes a pet home, that turtle is not here, it is not passing on its genes, it is not producing the replacements that we need to replace," Parren said. "So just removing a couple of adults can cause the population to decline and possibly to blink out."

Human contact also affects other species as well. Licensed wildlife rehabilitator Ellen Jarecki gets a number of calls every day. While she is licensed by the state, she does not have a permit to photograph or show the animals she is working with. The state made an exception for WCAX on this day for educational purposes only.

The general rule is if a baby bird has feathers and is hopping on the ground, leave it alone. The parents are still taking care of it. But there are exceptions, like if the bird is injured.

"If the bird does not have all its feathers, or is part naked or completely naked, I call that a bird emergency. It needs to be taken in and a rehabilitator needs to be called," Jarecki said.

So when you come across wildlife it is best to leave it alone or if you have to, call an expert.

Judy Simpson - WCAX News