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Alberta Fish and Wildlife officers are seeking two small turtles, which they say were sold illegally by someone in Gibbons, Alta., last December.
Map turtles are on Alberta's controlled animals list, making them illegal to sell or have as pets.
In a statement posted Friday afternoon on Facebook, Fish and Wildlife said officers believe the turtles, incorrectly listed as sawback turtles in an ad, were purchased by a woman from Fort McMurray, along with a 10-gallon tank, heat and UV lamps, turtle pellets and calcium for $250.
"Map turtles are known as carriers of salmonellosis and pose a potential public health hazard," said Fish and Wildlife officer Dana Brand. |
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Even though they are illegal in Alberta, map turtles are popular pets in other provinces because of their small size, according to David Law, who runs the Alberta Turtle and Tortoise Society.
"They are huge in Ontario and huge in the pet trade, too," Law said. "They don't get as big as other turtles."
Females are only about 20 centimetres long, while males are even smaller, about 10 centimetres, he said. |
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