WCS Bronx Zoo provides triage for turtles rescued from illegal trade
The majority are believed to have been collected from the wild to supply the international wildlife pet trade
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says this recent surge in turtle trafficking is unprecedented
Video HERE
Photos HERE
[Above photo: Wildlife Confiscation Society's Dr. Robert Moore and WCS Hospital Assistant Victoria Stephenson triage a confiscated turtle brought to the WCS Bronx Zoo by federal officials on July 20, 2026. Credit: Terria Clay @Wildlife Conservation Society]
BRONX, NY, August 27, 2026 — The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo has helped rescue and rehabilitate more than 800 North American box turtles confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade since October 2024, working in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) as federal officials confront what they describe as an unprecedented surge in turtle trafficking.
The vast majority of the turtles are believed to have been collected from the wild for the international wildlife pet trade. Confiscated animals brought to the Bronx Zoo receive emergency triage, veterinary treatment, quarantine, and rehabilitation.
Working in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), WCS’s Bronx Zoo has become a critical first stop for turtles confiscated from wildlife traffickers attempting to export them illegally through New York-area airports. The vast majority of these animals appear to have been collected from the wild to supply the international wildlife pet trade.
According to USFWS, the illegal trade in North American turtles has been building for several years, but this recent surge is unprecedented.
Bronx Zoo Provides Emergency Care for Confiscated Wildlife
Providing emergency care for wildlife confiscated by law enforcement is a longstanding conservation role of WCS’s Bronx Zoo. For decades, the zoo has partnered with governmental agencies to care for confiscated illegally trafficked animals while supporting criminal investigations and helping determine their long-term placement.
The work extends far beyond turtles. In 1996, the Wildlife Conservation Society’s zoos and aquarium in New York City received just over 100 confiscated animals for rescue and rehabilitation. By 2025, that number had grown to well over 500 animals annually, including birds, mammals, reptiles, fish, corals, and other wildlife, underscoring the expanding role accredited zoos and aquariums play in combating wildlife trafficking.
The need has grown particularly dramatically for turtles.
WCS’s Bronx Zoo has helped rescue and rehabilitate more than 800 North American box turtles since October 2024.
The majority of turtles currently arriving at the Bronx Zoo are North American box turtles, particularly:
Other North American turtle species confiscated in trafficking cases have included Gulf Coast box turtles, spotted turtles, and diamondback terrapins.
While the origins of individual animals can be difficult to determine with certainty and details of individual cases may remain part of ongoing criminal investigations, the vast majority of the turtles appear to have been collected from the wild to supply the international wildlife pet trade.
Many arrive at the WCS Bronx Zoo severely dehydrated, emaciated, injured, or suffering from disease after enduring poor transport and holding conditions.
“The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo plays a critical role in combating the illegal wildlife trade by partnering with law enforcement agencies to provide triage, quarantine, veterinary care, rehabilitation, and placement for confiscated turtles and tortoises,” said Kevin Torregrosa, WCS Bronx Zoo Curator of Herpetology. “Many turtles and tortoises seized from illegal trafficking operations arrive dehydrated, malnourished, injured, or suffering from infectious diseases after enduring poor transport and holding conditions. Our expertise allows us to stabilize and care for these animals while supporting ongoing investigations and helping ensure they ultimately have the best possible future. These efforts not only rescue individual animals but also contribute to broader efforts to combat wildlife trafficking, protect threatened and endangered species, and safeguard wild turtle and tortoise populations.”
What Happens When Confiscated Turtles Arrive at the Bronx Zoo
Upon arrival, every turtle undergoes a comprehensive intake examination. Veterinary and husbandry teams assess each animal’s condition, administer fluids and medical treatments, document injuries, test for disease, record weight, confirm species and sex, and place the turtle into quarantine or rehabilitation as appropriate.
Many turtles recover with expert care, but not all survive. Some arrive in such poor condition that they succumb despite intensive treatment. Others must be euthanized because of a grave prognosis, and some animals are dead on arrival.
The majority of turtles currently under Bronx Zoo’s care, however, are responding well to treatment.
Once healthy, confiscated turtles are transferred according to USFWS. Depending on the species, health status, circumstances of the case, and legal requirements, animals may be placed with accredited zoological institutions or conservation organizations or, when appropriate and permitted, returned to protected habitat in the wild.
Illegal Collection Can Devastate Wild Turtle Populations
The removal of turtles from the wild can have consequences extending far beyond the individual animals that are trafficked.
Box turtles are particularly vulnerable to large-scale collection because of their life history. They are long-lived animals that mature slowly and have relatively low reproductive rates, meaning wild populations can have difficulty replacing adults removed by collectors.
“Box turtles are especially vulnerable because they mature and reproduce slowly,” said Torregrosa. “Removing large numbers of breeding adults from the wild can devastate local populations. It may take decades—or even generations—for those populations to recover, if they recover at all.”
Many of the confiscated turtles are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), while others are protected by state laws. For example, it is illegal to collect or possess Eastern box turtles in New York and New Jersey.
The increase in confiscated turtles reflects both stronger enforcement efforts against wildlife trafficking and increased global trade in turtles for the pet and hobbyist market. Wildlife experts say the illegal collection and export of native turtles have persisted for decades, fueled largely by demand in overseas pet markets.
Key Facts: WCS's Bronx Zoo and Confiscated Turtles
Role of the WCS Bronx Zoo: Provides emergency triage, quarantine, veterinary treatment, rehabilitation, husbandry, and assistance with long-term placement for wildlife confiscated by law enforcement.
Primary law enforcement partner: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Box turtles assisted since October 2024: More than 800 North American box turtles have been rescued and rehabilitated with help from WCS’s Bronx Zoo.
Primary species currently being received: Eastern box turtles, three-toed box turtles, ornate box turtles, and Florida box turtles.
Origin of the animals: While the origin of individual animals cannot always be established with certainty, the vast majority appear to have been collected from the wild.
Likely market: International wildlife pet trade.
Condition upon arrival: Animals may be dehydrated, malnourished, injured, sick, or suffering from infectious disease following poor transport or holding conditions.
Why box turtles are vulnerable: They mature slowly, reproduce slowly, and are long-lived, making wild populations particularly susceptible to the removal of breeding adults.
Legal protections: Many species involved in trade are protected by CITES and/or state wildlife laws.
Long-term outcome: Rehabilitated animals are placed according to USFWS disposition plans and may go to accredited zoological institutions, conservation organizations, or, when legally and biologically appropriate, protected habitat in the wild.
Current trafficking trend: USFWS says the trade has been building over several years, but the surge this year is unprecedented.
Zoos and Aquariums Are Increasingly Important Partners in Wildlife Trafficking Cases
The growing number of wildlife confiscations creates an urgent need for facilities with the veterinary expertise, quarantine capacity, specialized husbandry, and conservation experience required to care for seized animals. To help meet that need, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums launched the Wildlife Confiscations Network in 2023. Through the Network, accredited zoos and aquariums and other vetted wildlife care facilities partner with the USFWS to coordinate the placement and long-term care of confiscated animals.
The Wildlife Confiscations Network Act (H.R. 3835) is bipartisan legislation that would ensure confiscated wildlife are placed with qualified animal care facilities, while allowing state and federal officers to focus on holding traffickers accountable. WCS is championing this legislation in Congress.
For WCS’s Bronx Zoo, the work represents another way a modern zoo can contribute directly to wildlife conservation, providing immediate care for individual animals while supporting law enforcement efforts to disrupt the illegal wildlife trade and protect wild populations.
###
Join more than one million wildlife lovers working to save the Earth's most treasured and threatened species.
Thanks for signing up