"Getting animals back in the wild is like the holy grail of conservation... Preserving them in the wild and putting them back in the wild you can't get any better," says Maurice Rodrigues, co-founder of the Turtle Conservancy.
"The value in the black market has skyrocketed... This one turtle we're looking at with the golden head and the golden shell I mean, that's $5000," Rodrigues explains, highlighting the illicit trade's lucrative nature.
"When turtles show up at rehab centers or airports like La Guardia or JFK, I often receive a phone call to see if I can care for them... The rate of confiscations seems to be going up," reveals Rodrigues.
"You don't want to just get a turtle and just throw it anywhere... especially because box turtles have a big range, spanning numerous states," Rodrigues warns, emphasizing the importance of careful rehabilitation.
#turtle-conservation #illegal-wildlife-trade #rehabilitation-efforts #biodiversity #animal-trafficking
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