The Fish and Wildlife Service today proposed Endangered Species Act protections for a population of the alligator snapping turtle, a long-living giant whose exotic heft can attract wildlife poachers. Nine years after receiving an initial ESA listing petition, the federal agency has concluded the turtle's so-called Suwannee population warrants designation as threatened. "Although both Florida and Georgia have prohibited recreational harvest, there is an international and domestic demand for turtles for consumption and for herpetofauna enthusiasts who collect turtle species for pets," FWS noted.
展开▼
