To further explain the laws in states that specifically address native turtles, here is a summary of the laws of the states in which they are native: It is the law in the state of California that a permit is required to possess a desert tortoise, Gopherus agassizii, as well as any other species of Gopherus turtle such as a Texas tortoise (G. berlandieri) or a gopher turtle (G. polyphemus). Anyone with a desert tortoise must complete a California Department of Fish and Wildlife Desert Tortoise Permit Application Form, available in PDF format on this website. There is no fee for this permit. If a permit is granted, an adhesive label with a unique identification number is provided, which must be attached to the turtle. This article explains how the approval system works and answers some of the frequently asked questions. The breeding of captive turtles is not permitted under the terms of this permit. If the sex of the turtle is unknown and you have several, you need to keep them separate to avoid breeding.
Whether you`re just applying for a hobby permit or a pet dealer license, you`ll need to be able to prove that the animals you acquire haven`t been collected anywhere in the wild. All turtles and turtles you receive must be accompanied by a receipt proving that the animal comes from a source where it was bred in captivity. Be sure to ask questions when buying from someone and be determined to get a receipt. Below is a link to NJ Fish and Wildlife if you would like to learn more or fill out an application. You can also find the number to reach the NJ Fish and Wildlife Service`s Exotic and Non-Wild Species Department directly. Please respect the laws! NJ is one of the last states that is truly fair with its regulations. Arizona, California, Nevada and Utah do not allow the transportation or export of desert tortoises outside their respective states. Currently, the California Turtle and Tortoise Club and Tortoise Group cannot accommodate out-of-state requests. Please contact your local animal rescue association, reptile and turtle rescue organization, shelter, etc. and ask if they can help you with your request.
In Arizona, legally acquired desert tortoises are allowed to be adopted privately. Order 43 of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission, subsection E, limits the possession of a captive desert tortoise to one per person per household and directs that its offspring be offered to another person within 24 months of hatching or as directed by the Arizona Department of Game and Fish (R12-4-407(A)). attached to the turtle according to the instructions of the ministry. (c) No turtle may be transferred to another person without the prior approval of the Ministry. d) The possession of a desert tortoise, regardless of its subspecies, is protected by the Endangered Species Act (ESA), unless there is a permit from the Department classified as threatened. The 50 CFR 17.21 and 17.31 Act and Implementation Rules contain a number of general prohibitions and exemptions that apply to all threatened wildlife species. These prohibitions make it illegal for any person under U.S. jurisdiction to take, import, or export, ship currency listed in interstate commerce, or sell or offer for sale in interstate or foreign commerce. It is also illegal to possess, sell, supply, transport, transport or ship such illegally captured wildlife. (Text taken directly from Federal Register Vol. 52 No. 129.) In Utah, a person must obtain a registration certificate from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to legally possess a desert tortoise in captivity.
Only one captive turtle is housed in each household and only residences outside Washington, Kane, and Iron County (Berry and Duck 2000, SWPARC 2019). The release of desert tortoises in captivity is illegal. CALIFORNIA – Desert tortoises can only be owned by virtue of a permit issued by the California Department of Fish & Wildlife. The Department may grant a licence to possess a desert tortoise, provided that the turtle was legally acquired and possessed before March 7, 1973. (a) The Department may require the applicant for a permit to provide proof of the legal acquisition of a desert tortoise. (b) Applications for turtle permits must be submitted on ministry forms and may be submitted to It is an all-too-common mistake for people to assume that keeping turtles and turtles is illegal in the state of New Jersey. Over the years, rumors have spread mainly due to misleading information about New Jersey`s laws on the subject. I created this particular page to clarify things a bit and properly inform others about the truth. Unfortunately, regulations have changed dramatically in various states, due to the disappearance of wild turtle populations.
While we`re tired of hearing this, it`s no surprise that people are to blame. Illegal collection for the pet trade, street mortality, and habitat destruction have led to these changes. In turn, the laws of some states are very confusing. Berry, K.H. and T.A. Duck. 2000. Answering Questions About Desert Turtles: A Guide for People Working with the Public. No turtle that has been in captivity can be released into the wild. In Arizona, California, and Nevada, legally captive desert tortoises and their offspring may be kept as pets, provided the administrator complies with the rules of the State Wildlife Board or the respective Commission and Department/Department regarding desert tortoises (Berry and Duck 2000).
In Utah, the rules for owning a captive desert tortoise are more restrictive (see below). The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has entered into an agreement with the California Turtle and Tortoise Club (CTTC) to house and care for captive turtles. The CTTC has locals that work with you to place turtles in new homes (“adoption”), register the turtle or bring unwanted turtles into captivity (“relocation”). These services are free of charge; However, you are welcome to donate to the CTTC as it is a non-profit organization. For more information on how to adopt a captive desert turtle or “relocate” a captive turtle that you can no longer care for, please visit the CTTC website in tortoise.org/cttc/adoption.html. ALABAMA – Threatened. Greatly reduced by historical abundance; distributed locally only in a few protected areas. Population of the West (LOUISIANA; MISSISSIPPI and Mobile, Washington and Choctaw counties in Alabama) are classified as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and therefore protected by the federal government. In Alabama, Gopher turtles are found in Choctaw, Washington, Mobile, Baldwin, Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Clarke, Crenshaw, Coffee, Conecuh, Covington, Dale, Escambia, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Monroe, Montgomery, Pike and Wilcox. Small populations are found in Autauga and Macon counties, where they have been introduced by humans. The people of the East are subject to state law that makes it illegal to take, capture, kill or attempt to capture, capture or kill, possess, sell or trade or offer gopher turtles without a special license to sell or trade.
SOUTH CAROLINA – It is illegal to take, possess, transport, import, export, process, sell, offer for sale, ship gopher turtles to South Carolina or receive them for shipmentGEORGIA – The gopher turtle cannot be kept as a pet in Georgia, regardless of its origin or morphology. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has an adoption program for captive Mojave Desert turtles. For more information, please call 801-538-4701 or download/view the PDF. FEDERAL – Mojave population protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973 (as amended), sections 7, 9 and 10. Section 7 requires federal agencies to conduct conservation programs and ensure that their actions do not endanger the survival of a listed species or result in the destruction or adverse alteration of critical habitat. lead. Section 9 prohibits ingestion. Clause 10 deals with habitat conservation planning. Includes California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona north of the Grand Canyon. Catching is defined as “harassing, wounding, chasing, hunting, shooting, wounding, killing, catching, catching or gathering or attempting to engage in such activity.” ARIZONA – There is no state authority that regulates habitat change.
Desert tortoises possessed without a special permit before January 1, 1988 may be possessed, transported, multiplied and donated (R12-4-407). The possession limit under this regulation is one desert tortoise per person. Laws of the State of Arizona: 1. Prohibit importation or transportation, sale, trade or release in the state.2. Prohibit the exchange, sale or offer for sale of wildlife or parts of wildlife that have been illegally stolen during a closed season. There is no open season for collecting or hunting turtles. CTTC will issue a numbered tag that will be attached to your turtle. The tag can be placed at the back end of the animal on the shell or plastron or inside the shell behind one of the hind legs. Unfortunately, labels can wear out in a matter of years. Since there is less wear, attaching the label inside the shell seems to work better.
However, this page may not be accessible to small turtles. Gopher turtleGopherus polyphemusThe gopher turtle lives in dry, sandy highlands, such as oak sand hills, scrub, shallow pine forests, and coastal dunes in the southeastern United States. It is the only turtle in the east of the country. Human activities have eliminated gopher turtles from a significant portion of their historical range, but they are still found in Alabama, South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi and Georgia, with the majority of the remaining population living in Florida. They are protected by federal law in Alabama counties west of the Mobile and Tombigbee rivers, Mississippi and Louisiana.