Turtles need protection, environmental groups say

"They aren't as awe-inspiring as whales, not as cute as, say, baby seals," reports Andy Mead of the Lexington Herald-Leader in Kentucky. "But scientists and environmental groups say freshwater turtles will be in trouble unless commercial harvests are reined in in Kentucky and several other states." Increased demand for turtle meat in China has lead to an increase in the numbers of turtles being caught. (Photo by David Stephenson)

There is concern that removing turtles from a pond or stream can affect the population for some time, since turtles live long lives and reproduce slowly. There are two commercial turtle trappers in Western Kentucky. One works on Reelfoot Lake, which is almost entirely in Tennessee;the other specializes on removing turtles from stock farms.

Kentucky laws protect rare species, such as alligator snapping turtles, but there are no limits on common snapping turtles and soft-shell turtles. "The other states said to have inadequate turtle protection laws are Arkansas, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio, South Carolina and Tennessee," Mead reports. (Read more)