Posted by:
kensopher
at Sun Dec 3 09:54:30 2006 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by kensopher ]
Like Steph said, every state is different. States are slowly beginning to adopt regulations that prohibit the release of non-native species, the relocation of native species, and the release of "captives". In some states, even if you want to release the Box turtle that you found in your backyard and have kept for several years, you are not permitted to do so even though you can place it in the exact spot where it was found.
The reasons for these regulations include the spreading of disease and invasive pathogens as well as the "un-natural" spread of genes. If you've studied any population dynamics in your biology courses, you can at least understand their reasoning. Some states are trying to be ahead of the curve on this one, and are enacting regulations at even the slightest reinforcement from research.
Most will quote the case of the Desert tortoise in California for the release of "captives", even if native. Someone collected a Desert tortoise for a pet, kept it for a few years, then released it approximately where it was found. During it's stay in captivity, it acquired some sort of respiratory pathogen which it then proceeded to spread to other wild tortoises. That's the case in a nutshell.
Theoretically, releasing a turtle away from its likely home range could spread diseases and genes that could negatively impact the population into which it is released.
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RE: where to release and growth rates - kensopher, Sun Dec 3 09:54:30 2006