Hundreds of turtles across the U.S. are being ripped from the wild and stuffed into socks, diapers, or boxes labeled "toys" – all to fuel a cruel international trade. Recently, a smuggler in Brooklyn pleaded guilty after attempting to ship 850 turtles worth $1.4 million to Hong Kong. Many of these animals were Eastern box turtles and three-toed box turtles, native species already in decline.
Sign the petition now to demand that U.S. authorities crack down on turtle smuggling before more fragile populations collapse.
The cruelty is staggering: turtles bound and taped, smeared with substances to confuse detection dogs, and shipped overseas where they are sold as exotic pets or status symbols. But the real tragedy is ecological. Box turtles can live for a century but reproduce slowly, meaning that taking even a few can devastate an entire population. And yet, thousands are stolen from U.S. habitats every year.
We cannot allow this to continue at this scale. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must strengthen crackdowns on turtle trafficking and protect fragile turtle populations before it's too late.
Sign now to help stop this cruel trade and save our turtles!
