Snapping turtle trapping law-Immediate Action Needed - via Herp Digest

IGNORE ORIGINAL I SENT OUT WHICH HAD YOU SEND AND CONTACT ASSEMBYLEMEN 

THEY MOVED IT TO THE SENATE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE AND IT IS SCHEDULED FOR VOTE THIS THURS. 

(Below is from TurtleRescue of Long Island. Thanks for putting this together.) 

Stop NY Turtle Trapping Bill!

A new Turtle Trapping Bill, S2170b, comes up for a vote in the Senate Environmental Committee this Thurs. (Jan. 23). Because this committee passed a similar bad bill in 2013 to legalize trapping of Snapping Turtles, the NY state reptile, it’s imperative to stop this one ASAP. Please immediately contact:

Senator Klein, IDC Senate Leader: jdklein@nysenate.gov, (518) 455- 3595. 

Urge him to defeat the Turtle Trapping Bill, S2170b. Our state reptile is already in trouble from traffic accidents and habitat loss (please see #1 below). Plus, other NY wildlife, such as the endangered Bog Turtle and the threatened Blanding’s Turtle, will also die in the non-selective traps. Leave your name and politely ask for a response about his action on this bill.

If you can—please also contact: NYS Senate Majority Leader Skelos: skelos@nysenate.gov, (518) 455-3171 and Environmental Committee Chair Senator Grisantigrisanti@nysenate.gov, (518) 455-3240, plus your own senator.

More about Bill S2170b

1. New York’s State Reptile, the Snapping Turtle, already faces an uphill battle for survival due to habitat loss, toxic run-off and traffic accidents that kill many females as they try to lay eggs along roadsides. Because Snapping Turtles do not reproduce until at least eight years old, and only about 3% survive from egg to adult, even a slight rise in the number killed could make the population crash.

2. This proposal will hinder law enforcement authorities from controlling illegal trapping, since poaching can occur under the guise of permitted activity. A 2009 investigation revealed that thousands of New York turtles were being illegally shipped to China. Allowing trapping of NY Snapping Turtles would sacrifice our State Reptile to the inexhaustible appetite of the Asian food trade. This should not be the fate of New York's majestic state reptile.

3. Trapping causes the accidental deaths of non-targets, in this case the Endangered Bog Turtle and Threatened Blanding’s Turtle, as well as other NYS wildlife, would be at risk.

4. The justification for S2170B includes the historic use of these turtles for food, but the NYS Dept. of Health has issued an advisory warning that Snapping Turtles often are contaminated with PCB’s and other toxins.

5. Snapping Turtles are magnificent creatures that play a key role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. For example, these turtles eat dead fish - thus acting as an environmental sanitation crew.

6. The Snapping Turtle was chosen by school children to be the NYS Reptile. New York’s turtles need more protection, not less.

7. There is no reason to inflict pain and suffering on individual turtles and risk destroying NY turtle populations.