Stop the Slaughter of U.S. Turtles

The United States is home to more varieties of turtle than any other country in the world. But unregulated global trade is rapidly depleting our native turtles. Millions of wild-caught freshwater turtles are exported to Asian food and medicinal markets each year.

Given the vastness of this market, the United States has a duty to take the lead in promoting responsible commercial turtle trade. Listing these turtles under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species is a critical step toward ensuring such trade does not threaten their survival.

In response to a petition filed by the Center for Biological Diversity, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently announced that it may propose 17 species of U.S. freshwater turtles for CITES protection at the next meeting in Thailand.

Please use the form below to request that the Service propose and actively lobby to list these U.S. freshwater turtles under CITES.