The Blanding's turtle has two strikes against him. He is swiftly losing his Mississippi River habitat to construction and industry. He is also a pretty turtle, with a pleasingly round shell and yellow chin. That makes him a target of illegal collectors.
Right now, the only stable populations of Blanding's turtles are in Minnesota and Nebraska. Elsewhere, the habitat for this turtle is so badly fragmented that the US Fish and Wildlife Service is considering its inclusion on the Endangered Species List. You have an unprecedented opportunity to tell the USFWS that you wish to see this beautiful turtle saved, but please act now, before the comment period closes.