Turtles

In addition to the hazards mentioned above, almost all species of turtles are suffering serious losses of their habitat because of the actions of humans. For example, the sand-hill habitat of the endangered Florida gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) is prime land for development into residential areas and shopping malls. Similarly, the semi-desert habitat of the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) in California and Arizona is being damaged by motorcycles and off-road vehicles. And all over the world, wetlands are being dredged or drained for various reasons, so that valuable habitat for turtles and other wildlife is being destroyed. The automobile is another important killer of turtles. In the United States, many thousands are run over each year while trying to cross highways. There is no question that most species of turtles have been severely depleted in abundance, and are continuing to decline.