PURCHASING A WILD CAUGHT ANIMAL??

<BGSOUND src="alone.mid" loop="infinite">Purchasing a WILD CAUGHT Animal?

The trade in wild caught turtles and tortoises, and many other animals is staggering.

Millions of animals are collected from their natural habitats, crammed
into boxes or burlap sacks and are shipped worldwide to satisfy
the pet, souvenier and food trades.

PLEASE NOTE: This page loads slowly if you do not have DSL.

What you are about to view here is just a sample of what happens to many of these animals.

CAUTION!
The photos you are about to view here are GRAPHIC.
This page is UNSUITABLE for small children.

These images are here to publicize, and help those considering the purchase of a
wild caught animal to make an informed choice.

These images show just what exactly happens to
animals when consumers unknowingly support the mass collection
of the wild caught reptile trade.

We see the end result as rehabilitators. When they reach us, it's the
end of the line, and for some, sadly too late. We feel it necessary to educate
the public, because most people haven't even a remote idea of the suffering,
illness, and needless deaths of millions of animals. The purchase of wild caught
inexpensive animals only perpetuates the trade, and the collection of yet more animals,
most of whom are doomed to die, while suffering.

At the rate tortoises, turtles, and other animals are being collected for the trade,
whether for food or for "pets," there soon won't be any left in the wild.

Some tortoises and turtles are now having to be purchased/collected by those
who are skilled in their care and reproduction. This is the LAST chance some of
these species have.

This is happening with MANY of the Asian species of chelonia. How unfortunate,
that we must resort to breeding programmes, in captivity to save a species. :-(

And for that, there's simply no excuse. Wildlife...means...WILD LIFE!

PLEASE, adopt an animal in need, or locate a reputable breeder.

All photographs are COPYRIGHT material.

These turtles, all American Box Turtles (Terrapene) were impounded from a pet store in 1995. Only one of the turtles still remained alert, but had pneumonia. The others suffered from eye infections, bot-fly infestation, prolonged starvation, ear abscesses, digestive problems from heavy parasite loads, advanced dehydration, and kidney problems. All suffered from pneumonia. Notice the one turtle drinking. Look at his eyes, an infection so advanced that he is literally blind from swelling and necrotic material building up beneath the eyelids. Sadly, turtles can go blind permanently from the damage that results from such infections.

Another seizure of wild caught American Box Turtles..
In all, 27 emaciated and dying turtles were impounded from one pet store. Many died prior to rescue.
These remaining turtles were forced to remain in the same small cage, on improper substrate and with NO food OR water, with dead turtles and excrement. Only 3 of these turtles remains alive today.
Suffering from advanced dehydration, some turtles will drink for more than an hour. Many are too weak to even drink, and must be given fluids by stomach tube or by an injection beneath the skin.

This is the plastron of a wild caught Box Turtle kept in a pet store mixed with other species of turtles. Shell rot is common in wild caught species, those kept in improper conditions, or in dirty enclosures.

This turtle is also suffering from septicemia.

An extremely advanced case of shell rot in a Red Eared slider. Notice how the carapace (top shell) of this turtle is literally caved in. Despite all efforts, this turtle, wild caught, held, and then transported to California for the Chinatown San Francisco live animal food market, to be sold for roughly $5.00, died.

She was far too weak, starved, and stressed to fight off massive infection.

Extremely dehydrated, starved, and ill, this turtle required 16 months of rehabilitation. His eyes were so badly infected that he is now blind in one eye. The dark color above his head is a result of bot-fly infestation. Normally, a turtle of this size should weigh roughly 16 ounces

Upon arrival, he weighed only 5 1/2 ounces.

Turtles are collected literally by the thousands to supply the market for cheap, disposable pets. This is a wholesaler's "holding facility" in the Southeastern United States. Most all of these turtles will die. Some facilities can "hold" as many as 15,000 turtles at one time.
Photo © Allen Salzberg.

Turtles impounded at John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York, USA. Turtles were packed in this inadequate crating, stacked sideways like books, in order to fit more into a single box. The exterior of the box was constructed of flimsy cardboard, offering the turtles inside no protection should the box get dented, dropped, or crushed. The shipment was impounded due to illness, all turtles were suffering from pneumonia.

The end result of mass collection, living in improper holding facilities, shipped in substandard conditions, stress, illness, and overcrowding. These are all turtles which died in less than one month, despite all efforts to save them. This....is WRONG!!

How can YOU help?

Allow turtles to be free, wild, and healthy. It's what nature intended.

If you want a turtle or tortoise, please research all you can on the species you are interested in.
Purchase a captive bred animal from a reliable breeder, or adopt a turtle or tortoise in need.
Don't purchase souveniers made with ANY animal part while travelling.

Feel free to e-mail us if you need further assistance.

Thank you

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