Eastern Box Turtles Released Back into the Wild

NJDEP Fish & Wildlife released 68 Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) back into the wild that had been seized by our Conservation Police Officers and federal wildlife law enforcement. All the turtles had been illegally taken from the wild by various individuals over several years. After rounds of health screenings and genetic testing, the turtles were released onto protected state land to re-establish a diminished population. The turtles will be tracked with radio transmitters until at least the spring of 2026 to assess how well they do in their new home. Several partners assisted with this important work and funding was provided by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program and the NJ Endangered & Nongame Species Conservation Fund.
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