There are many species of turtles that are endangered 

Unfortunately, there are many species of turtles that are on the verge of extinction because they are taken out of their natural habitats. 

“Many turtle species are endangered due to over-collection for the pet trade,” says Jeanine Refsnider, PhD, a conservation biologist and herpetologist at the University of Toledo. “Demand for turtles as pets fuels this over-collection and continues to drive wild turtle populations toward extinction.”

Turtles are also known as “ecosystem engineers” because they play an important role in the ecosystem, namely that their roles as prey and predator are beneficial to wildlife. “When a turtle is taken in as a pet, we lose its important role in the ecosystem,” said Dr. Deem.