Help is on the way for a species of small, brightly marked turtles that are rapidly disappearing from the wild, partly because of their popularity as pets.
Bog turtles can fetch up to $2,000 a pair on the black market overseas, prompting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to declare them threatened and subject traffickers to stiffer fines and imprisonment."During the last five to 10 years, an increasing number of bog turtles have been advertised for sale, and prices have increased substantially," the agency said Tuesday.
The turtles are popular to collect because of their size and distinctive coloration. The turtle has an orange, yellow or red blotch on each side of its head.
Only a few thousand of the turtles are estimated to be left in 12 states from Massachusetts to Georgia.
Although states in which the turtles are found already make it a crime to harm the animals, scientists believe federal protection is needed because the patchwork of state laws leaves room for smugglers.
The Fish and Wildlife Service declared the turtle threatened, one step short of being endangered, and put the designation in effect immediately.
People who capture, harm or transport a threatened species face up to $50,000 in fines and up to one year in prison for each offense.
Conservationists say the designation should serve as a catalyst for private funding. But the designation also calls attention to the turtles' popularity as pets, which the Fish and Wildlife Service recognized in refusing to publish the specific locations of the species.
Scientists blame development that reduces the turtles' natural habitats, a situation made worse by the illegal pet trade.