Small Critter, Big Problem: Protecting the Pearl River Map Turtle in Mississippi

摘要

The Pearl River map turtle may become extinct before it becomes known. While the species is recognized internationally and by the state of Mississippi, the U.S. government does not acknowledge it, and that obscurity is harming its existence. Its numbers are declining as its habitat degrades, and an ESA listing may be the only way to save it from extinction. The loss of population since the 1950s is staggering, and trade protection offered under CITES since 2006 has not slowed the loss. International biologists acknowledge that the turtle is endangered, perhaps critically. It is time for the U.S. government to do the same via ESA protection because state laws do not protect the turtle specifically, offering only limits on how many may be taken, rather than an outright ban. Besides protecting the animal itself, federal protection under the ESA would add the benefit of conserving the turtle's essential habitat, the Pearl River and its tributaries. Such a designation would require more thoughtful management by the Corps and the NRCS, whose activities in the area have degraded the habitat. Additionally, the federal protection offers bigger punishment and perhaps a bigger motivation to enforce laws against intentionally taking turtles.