EXCLUSIVE: 1,100 Banned Turtles Test Positive for Salmonella

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Story Published: Oct 6, 2008 at 5:05 PM PST

By Rudabeh Shahbazi

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PENDLETON-- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife officials were trying to figure out what to do with more than 700 banned turtles raided from a Hermiston home, when the owner's ex-husband came forward with 300 more.

About 40 other people who bought the turtles at festivals and flea markets around eastern Oregon also turned them in.

Some have salmonella, and now the question is, what do with them.

"Normally, I think in this area, what you deal with is maybe somebody bought something from a pet store and brought it into the area," said Oregon State Police Sgt. Tim Brown. "But this was an awful large amount of turtles."

Red-eared sliders are banned in Oregon, considered an invasive species. They are still legal in Washington, but because a sample tested positive for salmonella, no other states are willing to take them in either.

"It's just a little bit irresponsible to send them, when you know you have some turtles with a disease," said Kevin Blakley, of ODFW.

Salmonella isn't the only problem. There is a federal ban on buying or selling any turtle smaller than four inches. The confiscated turtles are only about an inch in diameter, which leaves ODFW officials little choice but to put them all down.

"It's unfortunate, with the humane disposal that will have to be done with the turtles," said Blakley. "But at the same point, the reason we have a prohibited species list, is really to maintain the integrity of Oregon's native wildlife habitats."

The turtles will be sent to Corvallis for lethal injections this week.

Police say many more red-eared sliders are still in the area. They are asking anyone who bought a turtle to come forward, and say they are not interested in penalizing anyone who has one.

Washington residents who bought turtles and are worried about salmonella should call the US Department of Fish and Wildlife.

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