Wildlife Officials Seize Hundreds Of Turtles From Home

Considering that the game and fish commision are going to be killing that many turtles, that is just horribly wrong, aren't they supposed to help wildlife? Some people just don't think straight these days...

That is really sad that 300 turtles would lose their life over this. I just don't know what else fish and game would do with 300 turtles. Its not like illegal game and fish where they would have it processed and donate the meat to charity or homeless. Alltough they are quite tasty. I suppose they could give some to zoos and stuff but that wouldn't take all 300. You cant release them after captivity for fear of some kind of contamination to the wild population. Or maybe you could the babies. Can a turtle raised in captivity be released and know how to hunt for food itself or has it become to dependent on man kind?

If its all over a $100 dollar permit than its just a shame, and the fish and game should have looked at the bigger picture. If there is a whole lot more to it than you really cant blame the Fish and Game for 300 turtles dying over someone else's mistakes. There really isn't a whole lot of options for them. I would like to know if they ever take into account what they are going to do with the animals before they make a raid like this.

ACTUALLY 300 TURTLES DYING IS JUST A FRACTION OF WHAT WILL DIE...Keep in mind this was a turtle breeding farm..this time of the year 2/3rds of the 300 will be full of eggs with an average clutch size of probably 40-50eggs each... that's about 8-10,000 dead baby turtles!!!
This is clear evidence that they do not give a damn about animals!!!
They will spend countless thousands trying to bust someone selling ONE illegal turtle ... All in the name of saving the species from peiople who "take advantage of them" but they won't give a moments thought to how busting these folks will affect hundreds and thousands of the very animals they are supposedly protecting.
They are criminals that are working from within the law..no better than the common poacher...except they have the Federal Gov behind them...

I emailed the following question to the fish and game in my state the FWC I will post the response when i get one.

I was reading an article where 300 alligator snapping turtles where confiscated in a raid perfromed by a Fish and Game dept in Arkansas.

That got me to thinking. I know here in FL that most nuisance gators over a cetian length dont get relocated. And that when illegal fish or game is seized the meat is proccesed and donated to charity. FL has numerous people in the Herp trade and exotic pets. Do yall take into account before a raid what you may have to do with the animals you seize. Giving proper husbandry, and habitat. Or finding a new home in zoo's or something.

I realize that animals breed and kept in captivity cant be released due to dangers to native wild species, even if it is an endangered or species of concern. I was curious what steps are taken to insure the well being of the animals thru all this. I realize that yall wouldnt be in the postion if some dummy didnt break the law and endanger the animals they probably shouldnt have anyway. But in the end yall are in the buisness of protecting those animals and the enviroment and get stuck with the task.

Originally Posted by Justin Mitcham

ACTUALLY 300 TURTLES DYING IS JUST A FRACTION OF WHAT WILL DIE...Keep in mind this was a turtle breeding farm..this time of the year 2/3rds of the 300 will be full of eggs with an average clutch size of probably 40-50eggs each... that's about 8-10,000 dead baby turtles!!!
This is clear evidence that they do not give a damn about animals!!!
They will spend countless thousands trying to bust someone selling ONE illegal turtle ... All in the name of saving the species from peiople who "take advantage of them" but they won't give a moments thought to how busting these folks will affect hundreds and thousands of the very animals they are supposedly protecting.
They are criminals that are working from within the law..no better than the common poacher...except they have the Federal Gov behind them...

It is truly sad, and the numbers are very disturbing.

I agree completely that there are criminals working within the law. I emailed my local agency to see what there plan is for instances like this. I would really like to know.

I am a big sportsman and know that we as sportsman can have a large impact on our local wildlife management agencies. Take the net ban in FL for example. I got to think that people in the herp trade could have just as much of an impact. Alltough with an island full of iguanas, and a swamp full of pythons here in FL i got to think its going to be a hard sell.

I encourage you to email your local agency and ask them what there plan is for the well being of the animals seized in a raid.

I got a response on the question i asked. Here is the FWC's response.

Response (LE-LH) 05/09/2006 11:16 AM

Typically FWC works with the individual possessing the wildlife to ensure that the animal(s) are housed at an appropriately licensed facility. Should FWC personnel seize illegally possessed wildlife all court procedures regarding the seizure and release of evidence must be followed before the wildlife can be permanently placed at another wildlife facility. Once this occurs, the wildlife is typically placed/released to an appropriately licensed facility in good standing with the FWC

I believe some one else stated that while the court proceedings are going the amount of care given in insufficient. With the vague response i got seems to be the same here in my state.

That was a very amorphous response from FWC. They keep mentioning a licensed facility, we all know the truth about that one. I wonder, since the animals are kept in the backyard, would they be safe to release in the wild? Since there is a shortage, why not add 300+ to the falling population.

Here's an update on the situation with the turtles. It's already being alleged that the F&W are not treating them properly.
The video mentioned can ve viewed at the link located at the bottom of this post. I'm currently at work and cannot get it to play so I haven't seen it yet.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Little Rock - It's video of alleged animal abuse at the hands of Arkansas Game and Fish Officers. Last month, Arkansas Game and Fish officers confiscated about 1,200 Alligator Snapping Turtles from a farm in Prairie County.


Doris and Harold Randleas owned the turtles and say they were taken because the couple didn't renew their license. Now they're afraid the breed is being abused.


(James Randleas, Turtle Owners’ Son) "Watch this right here, he just tossed that turtle up over it's head into a pile of other turtles that have spikes."


James Randleas says his parents’ Alligator Snapper Turtles are in the wrong hands as home video allegedly reveals Arkansas Game and Fish officers tossing the reptiles around. James says his parents’ livelihood was taken away after failing to renew their breeder permit.


(James Randleas) "Everybody makes mistakes. It shouldn't cost you your whole life."


The Randleas face major charges that James says all stem from a minor mistake. He says what's worse is the lifeless pictures of the rare turtles, from abuse at the hands of game and fish officers, according to James.


(James Randleas) "When you pick up a turtle up by it's tail that's an extension of it's spine. It is possible to dislocate their spine and kill them."


(Randal Berry, Reptile Keeper, LR Zoo) "It could damage a turtle if you pick it up by the tail. Absolutely."


Herpetologist Randal Berry could not confirm abuse in the video, but says there’s a "right" way to pick up turtles.


(Berry) "The proper way to pick them up is to pick them up by the shell to support their weight and you put one hand at the top where they can't bite you then one on the back."


(Keith Stephens, AR Game and Fish) "I can assure you they were handled properly."


Officials with the Game and Fish Commission would not comment much due to a pending investigation, but say the Randleas were given a 45-day license renewal notification.


Stephens also says the animals were already in dyer health and some may have already been dead.


(Stephens) "They could have died and that's why their handling them that way they still are hearty animals I really couldn't tell you without seeing the video."


(James Randleas) "My dad has turtles that would eat out of his hands they were like his kids."


The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has not viewed the video, saying they could not see it without their biologist present.

Link to Story

in the video it does look like they are miss hadling those turtles . its not the best of videos but if i had to say one way or the other i'd have to agree that they are not doing the critters any good like that .

Thanks for the update Clay.