Two Florida Men Get Charged for Poaching Turtles

Two men were charged for poaching at least 4,000 various turtles species over the past six months and trying to sell them illegally. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), this is the "state's largest seizure" of turtles in recent history. 

The suspects are Michael Boesenberg, 39, and Michael Clemons, 23. Both of them hailed from Fort Myers, Florida.

"It is a large-scale operation."

Through the investigation that started in February 2018, FWC was able to determine the operation of the duo. Boesenberg would hire individuals to capture turtles illegally and would ship it to buyers from Asian countries once he had collected enough.

The investigation also revealed that the operation is large scale. Initially, the poachers would only capture turtles on specific locations, but due to increasing demand, their operation has expanded to other parts of the state. They also worked with other wildlife traffickers around the state and country.

According to Dr. Brooke Talley, Reptile and Amphibian Conservation Coordinator for the FWC, overgrazing has occurred, as the population of wild turtles cannot sustain the hoarding.

Most seized turtles came from Lee County, but the negative impact of this operation stretches beyond Lee Country and even Florida. Evidence has shown that the poachers can earn at least $60,000 each month. The price ranges between $300 to $10,000, depending upon the species. The sellers sometimes receive marijuana products as compensation.

The search warrant was conducted on August 12. Along with turtles, investigators also found the skull and shell of Kemp's Ridley sea turtle, which is the most endangered species of turtle. The estimated black market value of the said species is at least $200,000.

Boesenberg is facing 11 cases, primarily for possessing wildlife animals or its part, and for a controlled substance. Clemons, on the other hand, got charged only with five, primarily for possessing and selling turtles. 

After being evaluated for health and species identification by FWC biologists, over 600 turtles were returned to the wild. Species that are not native to the area were retained by a captive wildlife licensee. Nearly 300 are given to Sanibel–Captiva Conservation Foundation for a long-term monitoring project. 

According to the Florida Administrative Code 68A-25.00 (6), selling wild-caught freshwater turtles is illegal while catching them from the wild is regulated. But Florida Administrative Code 68A-6 allows keeping some turtle species as long as there is a proper permit.

"Wildlife crime kills animals... and people."

According to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), a wildlife crime has affected at least 7,000 species of animals and plants. At least 1,000 rangers on duty were also killed this decade. In the United States alone, poachers are earning at least $19 billion annually. 

To control the crime, IFAW encouraged everyone to stop the poachers and traffickers by cooperating with the government and park rangers through reporting their networks and area of operations.

Demand reduction is also highly encouraged. It can be done through public awareness of which animal or animal parts should not be bought. Civilians are also requested to report pet shops that sell illegal animals.