A long battle to protect a rare turtle has come to a happy end.
The Pearl River map turtle, found only in Mississippi and Louisiana, has officially been granted federal protection, thanks to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service adding the turtle and four other similar-looking species — the Alabama, Barbour's, Escambia, Pascagoula map turtles — to the threatened list under the Endangered Species Act. According to the Fish and Wildlife Service, there are less than 22,000 Pearl River and look-alike species left in the wild.
Efforts to protect the turtles have been ongoing since 2010, spearheaded by the Center for Biological Diversity and Healthy Gulf. The independent organization started a petition for protection from habitat loss and pollution in 2010 and later sued the Fish and Wildlife Service in 2020 to make a decision. It sued again in 2022 after the agency failed to make a decision as originally promised in 2021.
"We're disappointed that the Service didn't designate critical habitat for the Pearl River map turtles, but these protections couldn't have come at a more important time," said Lindsay Reeves, a senior attorney at the center. Reeves noted in the release that "the Army Corps of Engineers is considering a plan to dam the Pearl River, which is the only place on Earth where these turtles live."
The map turtles rely on the sandy beaches to nest for breeding and on free-flowing water for food and shelter. The proposed dam would flood their nesting sites, and the turtles do not thrive in a lake environment, according to the center.
Though there is clearly more work to do for the map turtle, so named for its intricate map-like pattern on its shell, any added protections for an endangered or threatened species is an environmental win. Protecting existing habitats protects human beings as well by maintaining things like food security, access to fresh water, and even tourism.
And there's continued hope for the future. Earlier this year, the Biden administration strengthened multiple regulations in the 50-year-old Endangered Species Act that had been lax in recent years. You can continue to vote for candidates who support environmentally friendly legislation on a large scale and make your own contributions at home through simple swaps for a greener home.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
