Shellshocked II: Turtle Thieves

Shellshocked II: Turtle Thieves

Published on Jul 23
30:28
Sidedoor
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<p>Turtles are built like tiny tanks—ancient, armored, and famously tough. But in the modern world, that toughness may be their greatest vulnerability. In part two of our turtle two-parter, we dive into the shadowy world of turtle trafficking, where backyard collectors, international smugglers, and unsuspecting pet owners all play a role. From sting operations to turtle triage, we meet the unlikely defenders working to stop the trade—and care for the reptiles caught in the middle. Because once a turtle is taken from the wild, getting it home again is a lot harder than you’d think.</p><p><strong>Guests</strong></p><p><strong>Thomas Akre</strong>, head of the Turtle Conservation Ecology Lab at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute </p><p><strong>John (JD) Kleopfer</strong>, State Herpetologist for the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources</p><p><strong>First Sergeant Tim Dooley, </strong>Assistant Special Agent in Charge of Special Operations for the Virgi...