According to BC Wildlife Park in Kamloops, the painted turtle confiscated from a house in Kelowna earlier this week was a family pet for almost nine years. But the plant’s animal care manager says it was about the size of a two- or three-year-old turtle. “He is incredibly young for his age so he would show me that his diet was not good. He should be a fully grown turtle,” said Tracy Reynolds. The BC Conservation Officer Service launched an investigation following a complaint from someone who saw the turtle being advertised for sale online. According to BCCOS, the turtle dyed west is considered an endangered species or species of concern. “The species as a whole is facing some serious concerns and continuing on this path leads to the possible extinction of the species,” said BC Conservation Officer Hana Anderson. A person who commits a crime under wildlife law could face potential fines of $ 345 to $ 100,000 plus up to one year in prison. “We do not want people to go out and pick wildlife because it is so harmful to the individual animal and then it can also be very harmful to the population,” Anderson said. Reynolds says that if a turtle is hosted with other turtles and wildlife, there is a chance that a foreign disease will be introduced into the animal. “If you release this turtle again, you could introduce a novel; think of the coronavirus as a new virus in this population, and that could be very damaging to this species.” Anyone who witnesses a turtle being caught will be asked to report it to the Conservation Service at (1-877) -952-7277.
