Blanding’s Turtle: ... A close relative of this turtle, the Illinois mud turtle, is restricted to only a few marshes in northeastern Missouri (Briggler 2006). Possession limit of legal native turtles is 8 (no more than 4 per taxa), 2. The Prairie Research Institute’s Illinois Natural History Survey provides a species distribution map and more natural history information.species distribution map and more natural history information. If these guidelines are followed, we can expect turtles to remain in our Illinois forests, prairies, wetlands and waterways for many years to come. A valid fishing license is required to take turtles. A lot of people believed that if they don’t want to have a turtle as a pet they can just release them in the nearest forest or lake without any consequences, but that’s not the case. Every state has very specific laws regarding turtles, especially for turtle species that are native to the area, sometimes those laws are specific to only one state and won’t apply to other states. You can legally sell turtles in Illinois only if you have a licence or a permit. Buy with confidence that your tortoise or box turtle will arrive overnight via UPS or FedEx, well packaged and insulated with heat or cold packs added as needed to provide a safe reliable trip from our tortoise farm to your home or business. If the state laws don’t mention that you can legally own a certain turtle species that it’s not endangered than you most probably can, as long as you don’t break any other law regarding turtles. The materials available on this website are for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. The The keys to conserving Illinois’ turtles will be the rigid enforcement of current protective laws and the setting aside and maintenance of ample clean, aquaticand terrestrial habitats. There is strong evidence that these regulations were effective in reducing the incidence of Salmonella in the US in the late 1970's. Here you will also find countless interesting turtle facts about turtles, tortoises, terrapins and sea turtles. If these guidelines are followed, we can expect turtles to remain in our Illinois forests, prairies, wetlands and waterways for many years to come. Check out the IDNR’s Wild About Illinois Turtles! If you want to be able to study sea turtles you are going to need a Service and/or a State permit. Except as otherwise provided in this section, viable turtle eggs and live turtles with a carapace length of less than 4 inches shall not be sold, held for sale, or offered for any other type of commercial or public distribution. Without laws that protect turtles people would still be hunting them to extinction, or take them from their natural habitat without thinking about the consequences. You can support our site and thousands of other turtle owners by contributing with a small donation. 5. That permit may allow retention of specimens in captivity and, if so, sea turtles may be transferred by the permittee to a facility for holding in accordance with their authorization. This information should cover the basics of what you need to know about the laws regarding sea turtles. Division of Fisheries www.dnr.illinois.gov www.ifishillinois.orgFC1 Inside: • Current fishing regulations • Places to fish ... Division of Law Enforcement. The two parts of the turtle shell are the carapace which includes the vertebrae and ribs and the plastron made up of the clavicles (collar bones) and abdominal ribs. You will find in the resource section of this article the official website where I did the research for this article, there you will also find a contact page if you want to ask them a more specific question. (With 20 Examples and Pictures), link to Do Turtles Smell? [emphasis mine], (c) [I’ve omitted this part. 6. website to learn about the painted turtle.. A lot of turtle species are endangered or vulnerable at the moment so a lot of those laws are in place to ensure their safety. (With 20 Examples and Pictures). All rules and enforcement actions under the Illinois Conservation Law and the dangerous animals provisions in Section 48-10 of the Criminal Code of 2012 related to reptiles and amphibians shall be covered exclusively by this Act. It’s illegal to sell or commercialize in any way endangered or vulnerable turtle species. Hunting and fishing of these turtles is strictly prohibited by state and federal law (“Alligator Snapping Turtle” 2015). Turtles don’t have a strong natural smell. The keys to conserving Illinois' turtles will be the rigid enforcement of current protective laws and the setting aside and maintenance of ample clean, aquatic and terrestrial habitats. States may issue permits for capture and retention of sea turtles under the auspices of their ESA section 6 agreements with the Service. There are certain endangered species that are protected by the law that are illegal to own, but most of the common ones are not endangered and you can own them as pets. As used in this section the term “turtles” includes all animals commonly known as turtles, tortoises, terrapins, and all other animals of the order Testudinata, class Reptilia, except marine species (families Dermochelyidae and Cheloniidae). Illinois State Reptile Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta picta) Adopted in 2005. Note that both parties of a transfer should generate and maintain documentation to demonstrate that a sea turtle has been taken and possessed lawfully.Copies of applicable permits should be enclosed with shipments of sea turtles. 1. Most of those rules are generally designed to protect turtles, so even if they seem a little restrictive, they are there for a good reason. It is illegal to take turtles from the La Rue-Pine Hills/Otter Pond Research Area in Union County, With the exception of Common Snapping Turtles, other turtles can only be taken by hand. The tortoise is also protected under Nevada Administrative Code (NAC 503 080). In the united states, it is illegal to purchase ANY turtle under 4 inches. TurtleOwner.com is owned and operated by The Turtle Owner Team. Illinois law states that businesses “shall not possess or offer for sale turtle or viable turtle eggs which would constitute a violation of Section 264 of the Public Health Service Act (42 USCA 264), the rules for that Act (21 CFR 1240.62; 2005).” 12 In Iowa, the state exotic pet laws are pretty straightforward. After a species will reach again a good healthy number there is a good chance that the laws will be less restrictive. It is the most populous and demographically diverse Midwestern state and the fifth most populous state in the nation. Common Snapping turtles can only be taken from the wild between June 15 and October 15. Illinois Key to Native Turtle Species. Here is the law. 3. It is illegal to keep more than 90 days the following turtle species: It’s illegal to own any of the seven sea turtle species: Loggerhead turtles, Green sea turtles, Leatherback turtles, Hawksbill turtles, Kemp’s ridley turtles, Olive ridley turtles, and Flatback turtles. It is completely possible that the laws might change at some point. And no more than 4 from one species. UNION COUNTY, IL The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) took the first steps in recovering the state-endangered alligator snapping turtle to its natural range in southern Illinois last week by releasing 97 turtles of various ages over three days. What to Expect and How to Prevent. This is because they are really easy to care for, and they are very cost-effective. It is illegal to sell wild caught turtles. Little Turtle (Miami-Illinois: Mihšihkinaahkwa) (c.1747 — July 14, 1812) was a Sagamore (chief) of the Miami people, who became one of the most famous Native American military leaders. The maximum amount of Common Snapping Turtles that you can take per day is 2. No, you can legally own a turtle in Illinois, it all depends on the species. Code of federal regulations, title 21, volume 8, part 1240 ‘Control of communicable diseases’, subpart D ‘Specific Administrative Decisions Regarding Interstate Shipments’, section 1240.62 ‘Turtles intrastate and interstate requirements.’. And then there are states like Massachusetts where you simply cannot own an exotic animal of any kind. The state is bordered by Wisconsin to the north, Indiana to the east, Missouri and Iowa to the west, Kentucky to the south, and Lake Michigan to the northeast. So making any kind of major change to the nesting area is also prohibited. If you don’t own one it is illegal and punishable by the law. The possession limit for reptiles other than snapping turtles shall be a combination of 6. (Source: P.A. CB offspring, not intended for commercial purposes, are exempt from the possession limit for 90 days. If you want to obtain a permit to work with sea turtles you should check out the Fish and Wildlife government site where you will find every detail that you have to know: https://www.fws.gov. List of Illinois Turtles. (d) Exceptions. Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. link to How Much Do Turtles Cost? TurtleOwner.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Beyond federal, state, and local laws… 1-10. The Law and the Desert Tortoise in Nevada: Q&A. 324.48702, and 324.48705 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, The Director of the Department of Natural Resources on October 12, 2001, ordered that: ... limit for snapping turtles shall be 3 for personal take under a sport fishing license. You cannot own more than 8 native turtles. There are 7 different sea turtle species, and all of them are either endangered, or vulnerable. My name is John Rivera and I the editor of Turtle Owner. Turtles, other than Common Snapping Turtles, may be taken only by hand. A turtle can cost anywhere between $10 and $100... Do Turtles Smell? The provisions of this section are not applicable to: (1) The sale, holding for sale, and distribution of live turtles and viable turtle eggs for bona fide, scientific, educational, or exhibitional purposes, other than use as pets. How Much Do Turtles Cost? Every year TurlteOwner.com makes the world a better place for thousands of pet turtles, but right now we are having trouble keeping the site online. All State Reptiles An election for favorite state reptile was conducted on the Internet in 2004 (other candidates considered were the eastern box turtle and the common garter snake ). Is it illegal to sell turtles in Illinois? Common snapping turtles may be taken only June 15 through October 15 only by hand, hook and line, or bow and arrow except in the following Illinois counties where bowfishing for common snapping turtles is not permitted: Randolph, Perry, Franklin, Hamilton, White, Gallatin, Saline, Williamson, Jackson, Union, Johnson, Pope, Hardin, Massac, Pulaski, and Alexander. 4. We ship year-round to all states in all temperatures! Depending on where you live, it may not be legal for you to bury your cat, dog, or even turtle on your home's property. This is another reason why those laws exist. There generally are not specific criminal laws regarding hitting a dog or other pet with a car and fleeing, as there are with people. Wild Turtle Capture Laws for Illinois. The Possession limit is of all other indigenous species is 8 collectively with no more than 4 per taxa. On hoop type traps the 7-1/2 inch escape hole shall be located in the last hoop to the tail-line. following Illinois counties where bowfishing for common snapping turtles is not permitted: Randolph, Perry, Franklin, Hamilton, White, Gallatin, Saline, Williamson, Jackson, Union, Johnson, Pope, Hardin, Massac, Pulaski, and Alexander. It is unlawful to take, possess, buy, sell, offer to buy or sell, or barter any reptile, their eggs or parts taken from the wild in IL for commercial purposes, 2. My job is to make sure that every article you read is understandable and correct. While the ban specifically prohibits the public sale or distribution of baby turtles as pets ("Exceptions to the ban under 21 CFR 1240.62 permit sales of turtles and turtle eggs for use in bona fide scientific, educational, or exhibition purposes other than as pets..."—from Sec. There are no state requirements for a person possessing exotic species not defined as “dangerous animals.”, 1. Possession limit of legal native turtles is 8 (no more than 4 per taxa) If you want to take turtles from the wild you will need a fishing license from the state. What to Expect and How to Prevent, Turtle Commercialization Laws in Illinois, You Can Help Us Keep TurtleOwner.com Alive, The death or permanent disabling of a sea turtle, The removal of a sea turtle from that State, The holding of a sea turtle in captivity for a period of more than 45 consecutive days. We will probably never know, but we certainly find these laws ones for the books. The Mojave desert tortoise, Gopherus agassizii, was listed under the Endangered Species Act in 1989. Taking is prohibited in the LaRue-Pine Hills/Otter Pond Research Area in Union County. Illinois is a state of the United States, the 21st to be admitted to the Union. So let’s take a closer look at the exact laws of Illinois about turtles. Turtle traps may be used but may not have an opening below the water surface. 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