Eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina) are native to New York and much of the eastern United States, but unfortunately, their populations are declining due to habitat loss, disease, and illegal collection for the pet trade. Wildlife trafficking has been particularly problematic, and the frequency of confiscations and surrenders has increased in recent years. In response to this growing crisis, the Cornell Wildlife Health Lab has partnered with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Janet L. Swanson Wildlife Hospital to care for confiscated and surrendered individuals and, when possible, return them safely to the wild.
With support from the Cornell K. Lisa Yang Center for Wildlife Health’s Catalyzing Conservation Fund, the CWHL team is building capacity for turtles to be temporarily housed in a special quarantine facility so they can be cared for in a clean, controlled environment. We are also optimizing a new, rapid quantitative PCR test for our lab to screen turtles for serious respiratory diseases before release and to ensure release sites are safe, for both newly released turtles and animals already on the landscape.
Our partners at the NYSDEC are developing a repatriation plan to guide the release of healthy turtles back to their appropriate habitats. To prepare turtles for repatriation, clinicians at the Janet L. Swanson Wildlife Hospital provide expert veterinary care to any sick turtles.
In the short term, this work will help return healthy turtles to suitable habitats, protecting both the released animals and wild populations. In the long term, it will create a repeatable, science-based framework for future wildlife trafficking cases. Overall, the project helps protect box turtles, supports wildlife conservation in New York, and strengthens efforts to fight the illegal wildlife trade.
