At Terra Natura Benidorm we have keep 21 turtles in our facilities that had been seized by the Civil Guard in a supposedly illegal hatchery, in Mallorca. There are four Blanding’s turtles (Emydoidea blandingii), nine Pearl River map turtles (Graptemys pearlensis) and eight common box turtles (Terrapene carolina).

Of the three species, two are in danger of extinction according to the IUCN. These are Blanding’s turtles and Pearl River map turtles, species that are included in Annex II and III of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). In the case of common box turtles, they are part of the CITES annex and are considered a vulnerable species by the IUCN.
As soon as they arrived at the park, our team of veterinarians carried out a stool analysis and a physical examination of the turtles, where an examination of the mucous membranes, skin and shell, among other parts of the body, has been carried out. Initially, they will be in the quarantine zone to ensure that they are in good condition and acclimatised to their new environment.

All three species are American, so they will stay in various facilities in the American area. Common box turtles are terrestrial and will share space next to the peccary’s facility. The other two species are freshwater, so they will be located in the area of the river where capuchin monkeys are next to the capybaras.

From Terra Natura Benidorm Conservation area, we would like to emphasised that some species of turtles are animals that are threatened and endangered due to illegal traffic, and they are not animals to keep as pets. The biologist Elisa Gozalbes recalls in this regard that “many people have the erroneous belief that they are easy to care animals, but they need a diet and very specific environmental conditions”, which if is not followed, can even cause deformations, skin lesions or bone problems.