Turtle Trade Research Articles

Use of consumer insights to inform behavior change interventions aimed at illegal pet turtle trade in China.

Illegal poaching and overexploitation for the international pet trade are among the greatest threats to freshwater turtles in Southeast Asia. Expanding consumer research in China is crucial to filling knowledge gaps about the scale and structure of illegal trade and developing audience-targeted and relevant interventions that may reduce demand for illegal turtles as pets. We applied mixed methods to provide a detailed understanding of the consumer side of the illegal pet turtle trade in China. We conducted 30 interviews with key stakeholders and online surveys (n=2456) of turtle keepers via community forums. From these, we identified 3 core consumer groups based on their prior turtle-keeping experience, species exposure, and potential for future purchases. We conducted a thematic qualitative analysis of concepts related to the capability, opportunity, motivation, and behavior (COM-B) model to determine the factors influencing the illegal pet turtle trade and to identify barriers to illegal purchases. Specifically, we identified purchasers' capabilities, opportunities, and motivations in the context of legality, enforcement risk, captive breeding, and impacts on wild population. We developed consumer journey maps (i.e., visual representations of customer's experiences throughout their buying journey) for core consumer groups. These maps illustrate the sequential behaviors and processes that consumers undertake when purchasing turtles, from initial exposure to sourcing, keeping, and providing a new home. Key factors influencing illegal purchases included convenient purchase channels, misguided cognition and motivations for pet keeping, and weak law enforcement. Effective interventions included messages focusing on shifting cognition and beliefs, increasing legal risk perception, and emphasizing stringent law enforcement, primarily delivered through online channels. Our results underscore the necessity for adaptable, audience-tailored interventions to reduce consumer demand for illegal wildlife products. The mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative data, provided a comprehensive understanding of the target behavior and can inform the development of effective intervention strategies.

First natural history observations of the Critically Endangered Wattle-necked softshell turtle Palea steindachneri in its native range

The Wattle-necked softshell turtle Palea steindachneri is poorly understood in its natural habitat, despite being highly productive in farms and commonly observed in the turtle trade. Field observations conducted in Vietnam's Pu Mat National Park represent the inaugural instance of direct, in-the-wild natural history documentation for the species within its native habitat. In contrast, prior research relied on interview data gathered from local communities. The species was found in slow-moving water in a sandy stream, consistent with previous information from community interview data. The limited range and its frequent appearance in the food and traditional medicine trade have led to the species’ classification as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List. Keywords: Natural history, observation, Palea steindachneri, Vietnam turtle, Wattle-necked softshell turtle

Green turtles illegal trade based on commercial law and state administrative law perspectives

Environmental ecosystems are the most important element in human life. Without a beautiful and healthy environment, humans will not live well. However, humans are greedy for the sustainability of environmental ecosystems, such as the illegal trade in green turtles that are not revealed to the public. This illegal trade disrupts the cycle of life and has a vast network, which is allegedly more numerous. This paper is a Normative Legal Research. Normative Legal Research is a scientific procedure to find the truth based on the logic of the normative legal scientific. The scientific logic of normativeLegal Research is developed by the scientific concentrate and ways of thinking of normative jurisprudence and their objects are regulation themselves. In this case, both parties acting as Debtors and Creditors, namely the Seller and Buyer of Sea Turtles, have reached an agreement and fulfilled the elements of the agreement. Green turtles are animals that maintain the survival of seagrass and seaweed, which are protected by several regulations.

Perceived social benefits and drawbacks of sea turtle conservation efforts in a globally important sea turtle rookery

Conservation interventions have wide-ranging social impacts - both positive and negative. Yet a limited understanding of how conservation initiatives affect people’s livelihoods often hinders our ability to learn from past efforts and design more effective and equitable conservation measures. This is particularly needed when there is a high degree of overlap between critical habitats and human activities or a high cultural and economic demand for products derived from the conservation target. Here, we explore the social impacts of sea turtle conservation initiatives implemented on São Tomé Island (Gulf of Guinea) as a case study and consider how these might enhance or hinder future efforts. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with key actors involved in the sea turtle trade in December 2014-February 2015 (prior to the implementation of key initiatives) and February-April 2022. Our findings suggest a clear reduction in the scale of the sea turtle trade and the number of main actors involved. However, most respondents previously involved in the trade had experienced economic displacement and several associated social impacts, such as the reduced ability to support family and friends and food insecurity, due to trade restrictions. Financial capital was the main barrier to transitioning to alternative livelihoods, followed by the lack of skills and peer pressure. Finally, this study highlights the importance of considering human dimensions during the planning and implementation phase of conservation actions and the need for more investment focused on the well-being of communities to ensure the long-term survival of endangered species.

Deep learning-based image classification of turtles imported into Korea

Although turtles play a key role in maintaining healthy and balanced environments, these are endangered due to global trade to meet the high demand for food, medicine, and pets in Asia. In addition, imported non-native turtles have been controlled as alien invasive species in various countries, including Korea. Therefore, a rapid and accurate classification of imported turtles is needed to conserve and detect those in native ecosystems. In this study, eight Single Shot MultiBox Detector (SSD) models using different backbone networks were used to classify 36 imported turtles in Korea. The images of these species were collected from Google and were identified using morphological features. Then, these were divided into 70% for training, 15% for validation, and 15% for test sets. In addition, data augmentation was applied to the training set to prevent overfitting. Among the eight models, the Resnet18 model showed the highest mean Average Precision (mAP) at 88.1% and the fastest inference time at 0.024 s. The average correct classification rate of 36 turtles in this model was 82.8%. The results of this study could help in management of the turtle trade, specifically in improving detection of alien invasive species in the wild.

Online Trade of Live Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises in the Philippines

Online Trade of Live Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises in the Philippines

From pets to plates: network analysis of trafficking in tortoises and freshwater turtles representing different types of demand

AbstractDespite being protected under the law, illegal trade in tortoises and freshwater turtles is common in India, with different species being trafficked for different markets. Indian species of tortoises and hard-shell turtles are predominantly trafficked for the pet trade and soft-shell turtles for the meat trade. Given their distinct markets, the operation of trade may vary between these different groups of tortoises and freshwater turtles, thereby necessitating different types of interventions. However, a systematic examination of illegal trade in tortoises and freshwater turtles that takes into account the differences between these markets is currently lacking. Here we compare the supply networks of tortoises/hard-shell turtles (in demand for pet trade) vs soft-shell turtles (meat trade), using information from 78 and 64 seizures, respectively, that were reported in the media during 2013–2019. We used social network analysis to compare the two networks and the role of individual nodes (defined as locations at the district or city scale) within these networks. We found that the tortoise/hard-shell turtle network had a larger geographical scale, with more international trafficking links, than the soft-shell turtle network. We recorded convoluted smuggling routes in tortoise/hard-shell turtle trafficking, whereas soft-shell turtle trafficking was uni-directional from source to destination. Within both networks, we found that a few nodes played disproportionately important roles as key exporting, importing or transit nodes. Our study provides insights into the similarities and differences in the illegal supply networks of different groups of tortoises and freshwater turtles, in demand for different markets. We highlight the need for intervention strategies tailored to address the illegal trade in each of these groups.

Online classified adverts reflect the broader United Kingdom trade in turtles and tortoises rather than drive it.

Online sales are increasingly a route by which exotic animals are sold in the global pet trade. There are numerous types of online platforms and transaction types, and dedicated classified advertisement sites are a popular means of buying and selling animals. Despite their large and increasing use, we have a relatively poor understanding of the number of, and taxonomic variation in, the animals sold online. This information may be key in efforts to optimise the welfare of the animals being sold, and the ethics and sustainability of the trade via that platform. To fill this knowledge gap, we monitored and analysed the advertisements of chelonians (turtles and tortoises) placed on one of the United Kingdom's largest dedicated classified ads sites, www.pets4homes.co.uk, over the course of a year, from July 2020 until June 2021. We analysed temporal, taxonomic, and advertiser related trends in the volumes of advertisements placed and compared the prices and the sentiment of language within adverts for different species. We found that the species advertised, the prices requested, and infrequent use of the site by most advertisers is consistent with most adverts being for animals being resold by casual users. Further, we found that turtles were consistently advertised for lower prices and in multiples than tortoises, and that the language with which they were advertised was less positive. We conclude that on this website the online trade reflects the broader trade, rather than drives the sales of chelonians in the UK, and that any interventions aiming to improve welfare and sustainability would be better placed earlier in the supply chain.

Alien Freshwater Turtles in Greece: Citizen Science Reveals the Hydra-Headed Issue of the Pet Turtle Trade

Citizen science is emerging as a powerful tool for the early detection of biological invasions. The exotic pet trade has been deemed as the most significant cause of establishment for reptiles, and among them, turtles have the highest number of introduction events. In Europe, at least 13 species of alien freshwater turtles have been recorded in the wild. In Greece, only two species of alien turtles have been reported, namely the American pond slider Trachemys scripta and the Florida cooter Pseudemys floridana. In this study, we provide an updated checklist of the alien freshwater turtles recorded in Greece, using citizen science, personal observations, and literature. Our results provide the first records for the country of five species, namely the Florida red-bellied cooter Pseudemys nelsoni, the Eastern river cooter Pseudemys concinna, the Chinese stripe-necked turtle Mauremys sinensis, the Chinese soft-shelled turtle Pelodiscus sinensis, and the Common snapping turtle Chelydra serpentina and new localities for T. scripta. Similar to the myth of the Lernaean Hydra (i.e., for every head chopped off, more would regrow), the pet turtle trade has been proven to have multiple heads.

Research on Quantitative Trading Strategies Based on the Turtle Trading Rule

Quantitative investment is a newer investment method than traditional investment methods, with features such as being free from emotions and being able to access and process large amounts of data quickly. Based on this, this paper selects fuel oil, FU2205, as the underlying for the period from May 31, 2021 to November 30, 2021 to investigate the effectiveness of the turtle trading rule in quantitative trading strategies. In this way, the effectiveness of the turtle trading rule is explored. The article first introduces the background and significance of the study, explains the current research status of several scholars on quantitative investment and the relevant theoretical background, and then conducts relevant tests on the turtle strategy in three parts. In the first part, the principles of the turtle trading strategy are reviewed, and three important steps are introduced: market entry, position addition and exit. In the second part, the turtle trading strategy is modeled, and fuel oil from the commodity futures market is selected as the sample for backtesting from May 31, 2021 to November 30, 2021. Not only does it far exceed the buy-and-hold return, the Sharpe ratio and maximum retracement are also better. Finally, after tuning the parameters of the strategy and increasing the risk ratio of the account, the total return is significantly improved, but since it is impossible to predict whether the strategy will be profitable or not, this suggests that we cannot increase the risk ratio of the account indefinitely and need to keep it in an appropriate range. The article concludes with a further summary of the study findings and provides an outlook.

Pemanfaatan Kawasan Konservasi Perairan di Kota Pariaman

The lack of knowledge and concern for the survival of turtles and the rampant trade and consumption of turtles, the steps that can be taken are to use conservation areas as ecotourism for visitors in the marine conservation area of Kota Pariaman which is carried out by the UPTD for conservation and supervision of marine and fishery resources. West Sumatera. This research was conducted using a qualitative description method. Data were collected through interviews with selected informants using purposive sampling technique, direct observation to see field conditions, and documentation by collecting documents related to regulations on the use of marine conservation areas. The theory used in this research is George C Edwards III which consists of several variables. The data obtained is then analyzed. The results showed that the implementation of the regulation of the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries of the Republic of Indonesia Number 47 / PERMEN-KP / 2016 concerning the use of water conservation areas in Pariaman City. First on the communication variable, that this policy is clear enough and well-transmitted and consistently implemented. Second, the resource variable for quantity is clearly lacking but in terms of quality it is good and adequate, for facilities it is adequate but there are some facilities that need to be updated. The three disposition variables for the appointment of bureaucrats have been effective, while incentives have been given as a form of motivation. The fourth variable for SOPs and fragmentation has been able to run well by policy implementers.

Last Turtlemen of the Caribbean: Waterscapes of Labor, Conservation, and Boundary Making

Last Turtlemen of the Caribbean: Waterscapes of Labor, Conservation, and Boundary Making

Media portrayal of the illegal trade in wildlife: The case of turtles in the US and implications for conservation

AbstractIllegal wildlife trade is a global threat to biodiversity, but its drivers and impacts and ways to combat it vary by taxa. News media framing of instances of illegal trade provides a novel window into understanding public perceptions of these dynamics and potential support for management actions.We used 54 known cases of illegal turtle trade in the United States occurring between 1998 and 2021 as a case study to investigate news media framing of this emergent issue in illegal wildlife trade. We synthesized information from these cases and qualitatively analysed how they were framed in 217 associated news articles.The 54 cases involved the illegal trade of at least 24,000 freshwater turtles of 34 different species; box turtles (Terrapenespp.) were traded the most. Of the known species involved, 23 were listed under one of the CITES Appendices, and 12 were considered threatened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Trade occurred in at least 43 US states and 6 countries.Despite the multifaceted nature of these cases, problem and solution framing were relatively unvarying. Media coverage framed foreign demand, particularly from Asia for high‐value pet turtles, as a main driver of illegal trade. Solutions focused on regulations and enforcement which follows global trends in illegal wildlife trade discourses. However, we also found that articles neutralized illegal turtle trade in several ways, reflecting a lack of perceived legitimacy of and necessity for trade rules and enforcement.Without acknowledging longstanding and formerly legal practices in wildlife trading, conservation efforts which focus on regulations and enforcement may be undermined by a lack of normative compliance.Read the freePlain Language Summaryfor this article on the Journal blog.

Motivations and sensitivities surrounding the illegal trade of sea turtles in Costa Rica

Motivations and sensitivities surrounding the illegal trade of sea turtles in Costa Rica

Trade in Southeast Asian Box Turtles from Indonesia: Legality, Livelihoods, Sustainability and Overexploitation

Southeast Asian box turtles Cuora amboinensis are distributed in mainland Southeast Asia and throughout most of insular Southeast Asia and are often found in habitats shared with humans. In the 2000s evidence emerged of an enormous illegal export of Southeast Asian box turtles from Indonesia estimated at a hundred times larger than the legal exports. Using publicly available data we show that one or two exporters in Sampit in the province of Central Kalimantan, one of nine provinces where harvest of Southeast Asian box turtles is authorised, continue to trade above permitted levels. Harvest quotas for Central Kalimantan are set at 1000 turtles a year, and this is divided between five approved traders, two of whom are based in Sampit. A single visit to one of these two traders in April 2019 documented the presence of 549 Southeast Asian box turtles. Based on documented data from middlemen we estimate that the number of Southeast Asian box turtles that are harvested in Central Kalimantan to supply the traders in Sampit amounts to 19,000–45,000 individuals a year. If the Sampit traders stay within their quotas potential profits are less than USD 400 year−1, compared to up to USD 40,000 year−1 when trading the higher numbers. It is not known how many box turtles are traded by the other three exporters in the province. With the annual harvest quota for all of Indonesia set at less than 15,000 the massive illegal trade as documented in the 1990s and 2000s continues unabated. Assessments of the harvest and trade in Southeast Asian box turtles must consider both the sustainability and legality of this trade.

First report of melanism in Indian Flapshell Turtle Lissemys punctata (Bonnaterre, 1789) from a turtle trading market of West Bengal, India

The Indian flapshell turtle Lissemys punctata is a freshwater softshell turtle species distributed throughout Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. Here, we report first observation of melanism in L. punctata among rescued turtles from a turtle trading market. Although L. punctata is under Schedule-I in the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 of India still it sold in open markets in different parts of West Bengal. A systematic market survey and study on community perception are needed to understand the dynamics and factors influencing turtle trading in West Bengal. Enforcement of laws and mass community awareness are suggested to stop illegal turtle trading and consumption.

Exploring a Comprehensive Behavioural Model to Investigate Illegal Sea Turtle Trade in Cabo Verde

Successful conservation outcomes often depend on changing human behaviours that negatively impact biodiversity, such as unsustainable wildlife harvesting or illegal wildlife trade (IWT). However, inclusive psychology models that examine motivations of those behaviours have been underutilised in IWT contexts. This research examines the drivers of illegal harvesting and consumption of sea turtles on Maio, Cabo Verde (West Africa), by adapting data from interviews (n=20) and questionnaires (n=325) into the Comprehensive Action Determination Model, an environmental psychology theoretical framework. Initial findings suggest local behavioural motivations have changed over time, but key beliefs remained intact. Structural equation modelling showed intention to consume turtles is influenced by positive attitudes towards consumption, but interviews suggest normative personal and social beliefs are becoming relevant to consumptive behaviour mitigation. The same seems true of harvesting, reportedly performed mostly by young men looking to sell turtle by-products. Overall, results indicate the beliefs underlying harvest and consumption behaviours are distinct, such that outreach initiatives must be designed to address each. Results demonstrate how conceptual models developed in underutilised disciplines can be adapted to expand the transdisciplinary tools available to conservation practitioners. Embracing behaviour-focused approaches is crucial to address the intricate cultural and contextual factors of IWT. Abstract in Portuguese: https://bit.ly/3Aj9xuu

A Traitor to His Species: Henry Bergh and the Birth of the Animal Rights Movement

A Traitor to His Species: Henry Bergh and the Birth of the Animal Rights Movement

Global challenges and priorities for interventions addressing illegal harvest, use and trade of marine turtles

AbstractWorldwide, conservation initiatives have attempted to curb illegal harvest, use and trade of marine turtles at least since the 1950s. Despite some declines in local trade and consumption, these illegal activities are still often reported as a key threat to marine turtle populations. Reassessing and refining global conservation priorities for marine turtles allows us to formulate evidence-based strategies and effective interventions to address this threat. We surveyed a total of 103 marine turtle conservation researchers and practitioners globally to understand how conservation efforts can be better allocated to curb illegal harvest, use and trade. We explored the characteristics of these illegal activities, conservation priorities, challenges and lessons learnt. According to participants’ perceptions, progress has been achieved, but illegal harvest, use and trade remain pressing threats globally. Current challenges to addressing illegal activities relate to fisheries management, enforcement and legislation. Recommended priority actions include law and penalty enforcement, enhancing environmental literacy, awareness and stakeholder participation, and improving local conservation leadership and onshore/maritime management based on research. Based on participants' perceptions, we identify priorities for marine turtle conservation interventions that aim to curb illegal harvest, use and trade. Given the challenges of obtaining reliable information on sensitive topics such as illegal harvest, use and trade, further work should seek to validate our findings through empirical research. Further work could also seek to comprehend better how expert elicitation in conservation is influenced by individual experience, perspectives and goals.

Identification of Gangetic turtles based on species-specific variations on mitochondrial cyt b and nuclear Cmos genes

The freshwater turtles of the iconic Ganga river system are one such group of vulnerable turtles. Despite common knowledge of the severity of turtle trade in the region, Gangetic turtles continue being poached in large volume, evident from the numerous and extensive seizures across the Gangetic belt. The intensive wildlife trade in Gangetic turtles warrants immediate conservation and management attention. The genetic resource is a vital forensic tool to monitor the Gangetic turtle species to understand the pattern of illegal wildlife trade. We collected 64 softshell and hardshell turtles samples from the Ganga river and report species-specific variations among turtle species based on mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (1140 bp) and nuclear Cmos gene (602 bp). This genetic information will help augment the molecular database to identify Gangetic turtle species and lineages effectively. We identified unique species-specific variable sites, haplotypes, and Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) and analyzed genetic differentiation and phylogenetic relationships. The unique mitochondrial and nuclear signatures exhibited in this study will add to baseline information on the genetic relationship of turtles of river Ganga. It will be helpful in wildlife forensics characterization of the endangered turtles. It will also help in formulating in-situ and ex-situ conservation and management plan to improve the rescue and rehabilitation strategies.