In October, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer at California’s Otay Mesa border crossing noticed an odd bulge inside a man’s pants. Jesse Agus Martinez, a U.S. citizen who lives in Tijuana, repeatedly claimed the bump was “pirrin,” a Spanish word for penis. His history of smuggling birds into the U.S. prompted further examination, […]
Tag: Box Turtles
Petition: Stop the Cruel Turtle Smuggling Trade Threatening U.S. Species
Hundreds of turtles across the U.S. are being ripped from the wild and stuffed into socks, diapers, or boxes labeled “toys” – all to fuel a cruel international trade. Recently, a smuggler in Brooklyn pleaded guilty after attempting to ship 850 turtles worth $1.4 million to Hong Kong. Many of these animals were Eastern box […]
Petition: Tell Authorities to Investigate Potential Animal Trafficking Networks
The recent arrest of a smuggler trying to take 29 eastern box turtles from the U.S. to Canada highlights a gaping hole in our wildlife protection efforts. These turtles, part of a species listed as vulnerable due to threats like the illegal pet trade, deserve better. Sign the petition to demand U.S. authorities thoroughly investigate […]
Illegally Trafficked Box Turtles Need Homes
Returning seized animals to the wild is seldom an option due to uncertainties about their origins and potential disease risks. Tamesha Woulard, a 36-year veteran of the FWS, highlighted the perennial challenge of handling confiscated live animals. “What happens after they’re here?” she asked, revealing a critical gap in wildlife management in response to the […]