Box Turtle Conservation Campaign

Close to success! The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is proposing a ban on the collection of box turtles!

Please send in a comment online to show support for this initiative: www.state.pa.us/Fish/regcomments. Under rulemaking/notice, type in the following: “Revision to chapter 79. Reptiles and amphibians.”

Pennsylvania’s turtles are in trouble. Many species are slowly disappearing from areas where they have been known to live for thousands of years. Much of this is because of urban sprawl and the building of roads which fragments turtle habitat. Habitat fragmentation makes it very difficult for turtles to mate and find food. Many turtles are killed each year when trying to cross roads. It has been determined that the loss of one or two box turtles each year can doom a specific population to extinction. This is because box turtles reproduce slowly. While it is currently difficult to curb urban sprawl, the Sierra Club i s focusing on another threat to turtle populations—their collection from the wild. Currently, taking two box turtles from the wild is allowed by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PAF&BC), even though there is strong evidence suggesting that it is having a devastating effect on turtle populations. The Sierra Club began a campaign last year to get the PAF&BC to disallow the collection of box turtles and all other turtle species from the wild.

Help to prevent the further decline of Pennsylvania's wild turtle populations! Turtle populations are declining in many areas of the state due to habitat loss and fragmentation. A ban on collecting would help to prevent further decline and would maintain genetic diversity. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is proposing such a ban on the collection of box turtles, along with a ban on the collection of Blanding’s turtles, spotted turtles, and wood turtles. All other turtles that are not endangered or threatened, with the exception of the common snapping turtle, would have an annual collection limit of 1 turtle. A public comment period is currently open until January 1st. Please show your support for protecting Pennsylvania’s wild turtle populations by filling out the Commission's online form at www.state.pa.us/Fish/regcomments. Under rulemaking/notice, type in the following: “Revision to chapter 79. Reptiles and amphibians.”

For Questions about the Box Turtle Campaign, please contact Adam Coffman at coffman@hotmail.com

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