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Florida has 26 turtle species. They can be categorized by their
preferred habitat as either land turtles (box turtles and tortoises),
sea
turtles, freshwater turtles (including cooters and sliders) or turtles that
live in brackish water (diamondback
terrapin).
All of these turtles have shells, although some like
softshell turtles and leatherback sea turtles have leathery shells rather
than hard shells. Many turtles live in water, but they all lay their eggs on dry
land. Although turtles are commonly thought to be slow, aquatic turtles are
strong swimmers. Even a gopher tortoise
may seem quick when escaping into its burrow. While turtles are not a threat to
humans, some species have powerful jaws like the
Florida
snapping turtle and the
alligator snapping turtle.
The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) regulates all turtle
harvest. New rules have been passed to protect freshwater turtle populations
while the FWC develops a long-term comprehensive strategy for sustainable use of
amphibian and reptile populations. No more than five turtles may be taken from
the wild daily except commercial fishermen, who may take fifteen additional
Florida softshell turtles daily.
The new rules limit the number of turtles that may be taken from the wild, not
from turtle farms or other aquaculture facilities. No changes have been made to
the number of turtles people may possess; the existing limits still apply.
Furthermore, rules about selling or buying turtles also have not changed. You
can see possession limits and the rules concerning reptiles
here.
More Information
FWC Regulations
Licenses and permits are not required for taking turtles. Most freshwater
turtles may be taken year-round manually or with baited hooks, bows, dip nets,
traps (designed so freshwater fish caught can escape) or by spearing (from boats
or shore only during daylight hours). Taking turtles with bucket traps, snares
or shooting with firearms is prohibited. Using gasoline or other chemical or
gaseous substances to drive wildlife from their retreats is prohibited. River
cooters may not be taken from April 15 to July 31. Soft-shell turtles or their
eggs may not be taken from the wild from May 1 to July 31. No one can possess
more than 50 eggs taken from the wild, in the aggregate of species of freshwater
turtles native to Florida, except as authorized by permit from the FWC executive
director. Purchasing or selling turtle eggs taken from the wild is prohibited.
Eggs of the following restricted turtle species are subject to the same
possession limits that apply for those turtles.
Possession limits for turtles and eggs:
- River cooters - two
- Alligator snapping turtles - one
- Loggerhead musk turtles - two
- Box turtles - two
- Barbour's map turtles - two
- Escambia River map turtles - two
- Diamondback terrapins - two
No one may buy, sell or possess for sale alligator snapping turtles, box
turtles, Barbour's map turtles, river cooters, loggerhead musk turtles, Escambia
River map turtles, diamondback terrapins or parts thereof. Buying, selling,
taking or possessing gopher tortoises, or parts thereof, is prohibited except by
permit from the FWC executive director.
Red-eared sliders in personal possession prior to July 1, 2007 may continue in
the possession of the owner. Red-eared sliders less than 4 inches carapace
length may not be possessed after July 1, 2008 without a permit.
Red-eared
sliders with
distinctive aberrant color patterns, including albino or amelanistic specimens,
may be possessed without a permit. Nonnative species that are released into the
wild are often undesirable because of their potential to transmit diseases,
compete for habitat, or interbreed with Florida's native wildlife. To minimize
these problems, Florida Statute 372.265 prohibits the release of nonnative
animals. Therefore, relocating nonnative animals into a wild situation is not an
appropriate solution to disposing of unwanted pets. Effective July 1, 2008, it
is illegal to possess red-eared slider turtles less than 4 inches in length.
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