workshop-terrestrial-turtles-us-turtle-exports-and-federal-trade-regulation

Diamondback terrapins are turtles that inhabit estuaries along the east and Gulf coasts of the United States. They range from Cape Cod, Massachusetts to northern Mexico. Terrapins were harvested in the late 1800’s through the early 1900’s as a food source with a high demand leading to reductions in their populations across their range. In the 1930’s, terrapins became less desirable food sources and populations increased in areas with good habitat, but not much is known about populations in certain areas. What make terrapins so interesting are their markings, which are highly variable and prominent. Reasons for the variation include genetic diversity and some variations in their patterns could be linked to environmental conditions.

<p> Appendix I Species threatened with extinction, no commercial trade, import & export permit required - 2/3 majority vote at a CITES CoP (953 taxa & populations) Appendix II Currently not at risk of extinction, may be due to similarity of appearance, trade allowed with monitoring, export permit required - 2/3 majority vote at a CITES CoP (33,078 taxa & populations) Appendix III Unilateral listing, legally acquired/non-biological finding, export certificate only - no voting/unilateral listing by Parties (171 taxa & populations) 2005 Wolfgang Wuster Alligator Trading Company, Dade City, Florida Gary Stoltz * CITES Appendix III U.S. exports of certain live freshwater turtles: Selected years Species 1990 1995 2000 2005 2008 2009 Common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) 3,122 17,495 129,499 (2003) 320,940 497,107 655,541 Apalone spp. 3,256 38,611 36,749 (see below) Smooth softshell (A. mutica) Not available 0 3,618 3,511 839 200 Spiny softshell (A. spinifera) Not available 702 4,635 36,704 70,809 46,117 Florida softshell (A. ferox) Not available 1,900* 20,138 87,216 318,265 158,704 Diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) 5 821 (1996) 846 2,399 3,581 3,353 Spotted turtle (Clemmys gutatta) Not available 259 617 638 943 1,442 * Likely under-reported due to non-specific record keeping and confusion with Trionyx. Species 1990 1995 2000 2005 2008 2009 Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina)* 3,056 7,998 11 12 2 6 Ornate box turtle (Terrapene ornata)* Not available 14,889 (2004) 41 0 0 0 Chrysemys/Pseudemys spp. (no T. s. elegans) 7,381 154,934 55,119 66,511 15,463 25,112 River cooter (C. [=Pseudemys] concinna) Not available 6,110 25,458 61,271 32,251 29,557 Florida red-bellied (C.[=Pseudemys] nelsoni) Not available 16,648 61,007 80,668 62,658 112,819 Painted turtle (C. picta) Not available 3,750 23,963 16,907 6,371 14,380 Common cooter (P. floridiana) Not