A growing demand for turtles(乌龟) as pets in the United States, Asia, and Europe has led to a rise in poaching. Poaching means to catch or kill an animal illegally. Wildlife trade experts believe the rise in poaching is adding to the worldwide drop in rare freshwater turtles. Such concerns have led to proposals to increase protection for freshwater turtles.
More than 180 nations have gathered this week in Panama as part of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES.
Tara Easter, a doctoral student, studies the trade. She looked at turtle trade data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She found that the business export trade for mud turtles in the United States increased from 1,844 in 1999 to nearly 40,000 in 2017 and that the trade in musk turtles increased from 8,254 in 1999 to more than 281,000 in 2016.
The United States and several Latin American countries have suggested stopping or limiting the trade in more than 20 turtle species. In their CITES proposal, the countries included data from Mexico that found nearly 20,000 were confiscated from 2010 to 2022. To confiscate means to take something away from someone to carry out laws or rules.
The illegal trade has also led governments to suggest listing for the first time 42 turtle species under CITES, including North American musk turtles. A listing means traders will need permits to sell them internationally.
Matthew Strickler is with the U.S. Department of the Interior. He is heading the American group at the CITES meeting in Panama. He called the possible listings and increased protection for North American turtles “really, really important”.
“We’ve seen this pattern of turtles being depleted in one place, and then poachers and traders moving to another place,” Strickler said. “Southeast Asia was depleted. They moved to Africa. Now, we see them moving to the Americas.”
8. What is the real cause of the drop in the turtle population?
A.Hunting them for their medical value. | B.The pollution of freshwater. |
C.Humans’ keeping them as pets. | D.Their homes being destroyed. |
9. What do we know from Tara Easter’s study?
A.Turtle trade grew rapidly. | B.Turtles were well protected. |
C.Turtles grow more and more popular. | D.Mud turtles were liked better than musk turtles. |
10. What does listing some species under CITES mean?
A.Allowing selling them freely. | B.Limiting the trade in them internationally. |
C.Hunting them by law. | D.Canceling international wildlife trade. |
11. What does the underlined word “depleted” in the last paragraph probably mean?
A.Fed. | B.Reduced. | C.Joined. | D.Protected. |