WASHINGTON, D.C. — Three species of turtles in Maine are among the 53 species of reptiles and amphibians the Center for Biological Diversity is petitioning the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to safeguard under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
The nonprofit organization filed the 450-page petition Wednesday — what it’s calling the “largest petition ever filed” to target reptiles and amphibians for protection — along with the signatures of notable scientists and herpetologists including E.O. Wilson, a distinguished Harvard biologist and Pulitzer Prize-winning author, and Thomas Lovejoy, a professor of environmental science and policy at George Mason University.
“Amphibians and reptiles face a profound, human-driven extinction crisis unlike any other. If we don’t act now, we’ll lose some of our natural world’s most important and fascinating citizens,” said Collette Adkins Giese, a biologist and lawyer focused on reptiles and amphibians for the Center for Biological Diversity, in a press release.
If the wood turtle, spotted turtle and Blanding’s turtle were protected under the Endangered Species Act, which was passed in 1973 to protect imperiled species from extinction, there would be a 99 percent chance of averting extinction for those turtles, Adkins Giese said.
The biologist said the 99 percent figure comes from an analysis by the center which found that only two species became extinct while under protection by the Endangered Species Act.
“There’s a lot of respect for [turtles], and they need people to speak for them because they can’t talk,” said Allen Salzberg, a petition signer and turtle expert who runs a reptile and amphibian online newsletter called HerpDigest.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which overlooks the endangered species program, will have 90 days to review the petition and determine whether there is substantial information, spokeswoman Meagan Racey said.
The spokeswoman said if substantial information is found, the Fish and Wildlife Service will initiate a 12-month review period in which they vet the petition with a number of experts and in-depth research.
Only two of the three turtle species are protected under the Maine Endangered Species Act, which was passed in 1975. The Blanding’s turtle is considered “endangered” while the spotted turtle is considered “threatened,” which gives them different levels of protection, said Jonathan Mays, a wildlife biologist with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
Mays said the wood turtle is considered a “special concern” for the state, though it would take state legislation to list it under the state’s endangered or threatened list.
Since the wood turtle has a healthier population than the two other species, the biologist said, “it makes that responsibility more real.”
Mays said he has seen the center’s petition and agrees that many of the listed species should have become federally protected years ago, but added it might be difficult to argue for some of the species that have healthy populations in certain areas of the state.
“It’s going to be a hard sell to get those federally listed,” the biologist said.
Mays said many of the protections offered to endangered species are similar on the state and national levels, but the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service dishes out heavier fines for harassing and capturing them.
While developments in Maine such as shopping malls, mining areas and large housing developments have to go through the Department of Environmental Protection and then the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to ensure protection of the environment and wildlife, the biologist said smaller developments don’t require large vetting processes, which means potential habitats for endangered species can be harmed or destroyed.
“Sometimes we lose habitat without even knowing about it,” Mays said.
For that reason, he said, adding federal protection to these species could make a difference: “If they were federally protected, there would be a lot of oversight.”
Too many raccoon. Coons find just about every turtle egg and eat them all. With Coons, Coyotes, and other predators you could give the turtles a billion acres of land to live on and they will go extinct unless you get rid of most of their predators.
Agreed!!!!!!! Racoon’s, Skunks, Possums, and other small animals eat a lot of eggs. But, some of you don’t like trapping, Well, it’s the best way to control the population which we humans put out of wack!!! So if you wanna save one do whats best for the others.
Don’t forget Coyotes. They are very new to New England and they probably tip the scales toward extinction for many species. In most Southern states we found that a bounty on them or sport shooting them is the only hope. They reproduce like rats.
Yes, while raccoons are predators of turtle eggs they have been around for 30 or so million years during which turtle populations thrived or at least achieved sustainable numbers.
The difference now is the effects of human despoilation of turtle habitats.
Unless people admit responsibilty, and stop conveniently blaming any other element they can think of, species will continue on the road towards extinction.
It has zero to do with habitat and 100% to do with the keen sense of smell that a Coon and Coyote has. If you want to even the odds reinstate Eastern Cougers, Wolves, etc. to kill the stinking Coons and Coyotes. Or, just shoot them to even the score. There is ample habitat for a billion more turtles. (PERIOD)
more crap to prevent business from developing in Maine.
Yeah, we should go ahead and kill off everything except cows and pigs and chickens. No need for any other species as long as we can have burgers, bacon and wings. Forking brilliant.
Never owned a business, have you?
I own one and guess what –
It is not ok to render a animal nearly extinct in the name of the all mighty dollar.
I know these turtles need To get off welfare & start working!
This is far from “crap” to prevent business from developing.
Having worked in conservation for most of my adult life, these are a species that live in specialized habitat and do not reproduce prolifically. It can take a female Blanding’s turtle over 10 years to reach sexual maturity. Same with wood turtles. The loss of ONE female in fragmented populations can cause the decline of their population, to extinction.
I got a call one year that someone had “rescued” a large turtle in Sanford. It was a female Blanding’s. She was being kept in a trash barrel. Had the person not called for me to identify it, she likely wouldn’t have been released, become egg bound, and died. A minimum of 10 years’ survival throw away because of human interference.
Learn more about the topic, before spouting off ignorant statements. While I’m far from a bleeding heart liberal, and fully support conservative fiscal practices, I also believe in accountability. Another big box store is not worth our natural history… one which has been here much longer than Target, Wal-Mart, etc.
Foot, although in past decades enviromental groups did things to stop business, now they are only after money. See now that their request has been made to add these creatures to the ESA the US fish and game has 90 days to respond to the request. If US fish and game fails to respond to every single creature on the list, then the enviromental group can sue the US fish and game for violation of the ESA. This is just a money maker.
Yes , thats what we need , more federal oversight. More and more so daily, I’m thinking this country has gone completly insane.
And the worst thing about all this is that the Gestapo IRS can’t even evict the remaining turtles from their own shells even when they consistently fail to pay property taxes! How come turtles get the right to own their own home when people are forced out of theirs because they can’t afford to pay property taxes and there aren’t any jobs left that pay enough to even keep land in the family anymore? Those turtle union dues must pay those herpetologists awfully good to lobby so well for them…
Gee, missed a chance to equate the EPA and state agencies with the secret police. You’re slipping and the sarcasm fails the humor test.
If the bunny huggers had not ran such anti fur campaigns in the 80-s and 90-s There would alot more turtles and alot less rabies
So you are claiming that rabbits are hunting turtles?
Or turtles somehow cure Rabies?
What was the reaction by the Turtles that were petitioned?
The
“real” problem on this planet is not about wild animals but that there are way
too many human beings – 7 billion of us. And my friends, the day of reckoning
is not that far away. If you’ve lived as long as I have and seen the changes,
you would understand what I am saying. All over the world, people like you keep
yapping about the grain of sand on the beach and never, ever about the big
picture – the putrid beach.
The problem with this planet is that there are too many domesticated human beings and not enough wild human beings. Domesticated Human Lemmings are more than happy to repeat the mantra that there are too many of themselves as they all walk off the cliff together to die on a beach that becomes more putrid by the day as the numbers of those who have succumbed to the pied piping’s of the jolly green giant start to add up.
Are you domesticated?
“Diet, injections, and injunctions will combine, from a very early
age, to produce the sort of character and the sort of beliefs that the
authorities consider desirable, and any serious criticism of the powers
that be will become psychologically impossible. Even if all are
miserable, all will believe themselves happy, because the government will tell them that they are so.”
Russell, Bertrand. The Impact of Science on Society. 1951.
And a quote for the pied-piper followers,
“What went wrong formerly was that people had read in books that man
is a rational animal, and framed their arguments on this hypothesis. We
now know that limelight and a brass band do more to persuade than can be
done by the most elegant train of syllogisms.”
Russell, Bertrand. The Impact of Science on Society. 1951.
I am the exact opposite of a “domesticated lemming.” I try to be a polite and intelligent rebel with words. I am an avid reader and supporter of Bertrand Russell and his views. His intelligence and knowledge fascinates me.
Does thta mean that in order to save the world we need to control the population levels?
Do you suggest wars, stop helping areas that have population growth, forced sterilization of less desireable groups?
What do you suggest as a solution? We need solutions to problems not people pointing out problems.
It’s not that we don’t know what to do. It’s the implementation of what is right and proper to save the planet and mankind from destruction that is extremely difficult because of the political and economic differences in the 212 recognized countries of the world. We’ve already killed more than 40 million people in wars during my lifetime and that is merely a drop in the bucket – relatively speaking. AND, most importantly is that you must understand the nature of the “human beast” as George Orwell described him in his book Animal Farm – pigs at the trough. It is my experience as an elderly person that the vast majority of people don’t even want to discus the “Road Ahead.” Their love of life is “instant gratification” with a philosophy of “Please leave me to hell alone.” And finally, most people’s brains are ruled by emotion and not by common sense. OK, class is over for today.
Real helpful. How about telling us less intellegent people what the solution is. Any ID-10-T can point out problems, so help us O Wise and Knowing … how do we fix the problem?
The problem is NOT fixable. You are dealing with the “abominable beast” that will self destruct in the same way as the millions of creatures of the past did. I am a geologist and have also studied anthropology with my favorite human beast being Charles Darwin. Fact of the matter is that in about an hour I will begin reading “The Origin” – A biographical novel of Charles Darwin – written by one of my favorite authors Irving Stone.
CONDOMS!!
As we’ve seen, condoms only work when used. Sorry, not the answer.
So, they should be used, but not restricted or even banned.
So horrible these turtles oppose capitalism. I mean just think about the awesome super Walmart these pathetic reptiles will prevent! I can’t imagine not being able to plow these turtles out of existence so I can build a gas station! It’s outrageous !
LOL
All those who think saving certain turtle species is merely a matter of trapping raccoons, coyotes and skunks ought to think and read about the issue a but more – no, a lot more (since when has any species other than ours exterminated another?). They might check the career of E.O. Wilson, to mention perhaps the best known “big-picture” biologist, whose life’s work has led to this assertion: many of our fellow living things were doomed once evolution gave rise to an intelligent, technological creature that also happened to be a rapacious carnivore, fiercely territorial and prone to short-term thinking. When they’ve done that sort of work in the whole business of the appearance and disappearance of species, then they can pop off about the direction blaming fingers ought be pointed. It’s understandable that some look for any reason other than our own rapaciousness for these threats to other species. After all, we’re relative new-comers and we might well be among the shorter-lived species, given our ability to rationalize our sloppy planetary citizenship. That’s not a comforting thought, not nearly so much as the belief (and hope) that we’re specially chosen to live and consume forever at the expense of all the others.
Exactly my thoughts as posted earlier above, but yours, hp, are truly eloquent.
Those suggesting extirpation of raccoons miss the point entirely (in fact they may well be incapable of grasping it) and would clearly continue the marauding of other species via their “solutions” in lieu of acknowledging any responsibility.
There is no way to count them.. drop the counter in the alagash and have them start there
Men are creature meddlers – pure and simple. I am amazed that men have not destroyed more of the wild creatures and their natural habitat than have already been destroyed.
Did the turtles form a PAC yet? Or a society for mutual support? They need an easily recognised group name – Teripins First? Hardhats Unite?
The Turtles did not petition for anything, a group of well meaning humans petitioned for them. The haedline is silly.
As I said when I reposted this to FB, we have some REALLY smart turtles in Maine! LOL Makes me crazy that this reporter actually gets PAID to write.
I once heard a person from Maine tell a Texan that in Maine frogs here are big enough to drive trucks. Real story and not me.
the headline reads as if the three turtle species did the petitioning! Sheesh, get your grammar on folks… you actually get PAID for writing.
I know of other states who have protected these turtles for some time, rightly and wisely so. In some cases, lakes with no viable public access anyway had motorized boat and watercraft bans. Makes for great canoeing and kayaking (and some peace). Maine leads? Not with the opinions of too many below.