Implications of wildlife trafficking on the health and conservation efforts of an endangered turtle species in Colombia

The Colombian slider turtle (Trachemys venusta callirostris) is an endangered species, and one of the most common reptiles admitted to wildlife facilities in Colombia due to wildlife trafficking. To identify the most common diseases at admission and identify factors affecting rehabilitation and translocation, we retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 567 individuals admitted to a wildlife facility in Bogota, Colombia (2005-2009). In total, 70% of turtles had at least one clinical problem identified at admission, with metabolic bone disease (MBD) (40.8%), ulcerative shell disease (USD) (29%), and dysecdysis (23.9%) being the most reported. Only 44% (249/560; 7 turtles with unknown disposition were excluded) were translocated while the remaining 56% (311/560) died. We used a multivariable logistic regression and found that factors significantly associated (p <.05) with successful rehabilitation included life stage and health status at admission. Adult and juvenile turtles were 3.0 and 2.4 times more likely to be successfully rehabilitated for translocation, respectively, than hatchlings. Individuals identified as healthy at admission were 3.3 times more likely to be rehabilitated than individuals with medical problems. Most medical problems diagnosed at admission are the result of inadequate husbandry from private ownership, and this negatively impacts rehabilitation and eventual translocation of individuals back to their natural habitats. We highlight important considerations for wildlife facilities in the conservation efforts of this endangered species.