Alex B. Heeb

Turtle racing is an event hosted by fairs, picnics and other events in the U.S. that requires the removal of turtles from the wild. While the plight of U.S. turtles has been widely publicized, little attention has been paid to turtle races as a possible contributing factor to their decline. A study was conducted on the number of turtle races in the U.S. using web searches. The author also attended several turtle races and heard eyewitness accounts of others to determine what conditions the turtles are kept in. Conservative estimates made during this study show that 15,000 – 20,000 box turtles (Terrapene spp.) alone are probably removed from the wild annually. There are currently no estimates for the number of aquatic turtle removed from the wild. Web searches have turned up at least 150 turtle races in seven states and more are being found all the time. I discuss how turtle racing may have been a contributing factor in the decline of several species of turtles. I also discuss conditions at races, how races may be the starting point for new diseases, mortality, etc. I discuss management options that could reduce the impact of turtle racing on turtle populations. Finally, I discuss a radio telemetry project involving 45 box turtles (controls and turtles from races) to determine if turtles from races have higher mortality that is to be commenced July 4, 2006 pending funding.
International conservation/field research Oral

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