ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE FLOURISHES IN SOUTH CAROLINA

Two of the South’s leading reptile scientists urged South Carolina leaders to crack down on the illegal wildlife trade that is flourishing across South Carolina. Whit Gibbons and Kurt Buhlmann, longtime researchers at the University of Georgia’s Savannah River Ecology Laboratory near Aiken, said South Carolina’s native turtles are among the species that need protection with a stronger state law. The S.C. Legislature is considering a bill, introduced last week, that would close some of the loopholes that make South Carolina attractive for illegal reptile traders. Many black market turtle traders have set up shop here because of the state’s lax rules, wildlife agents say. South Carolina’s role in the world’s black market wildlife trade was chronicled by The State in 2018. The newspaper found examples of smugglers shipping reptiles through South Carolina because of weak state regulation. In one case, a Chester County resident known as “Snakeman’’ was buying and selling turtles across the world from his trailer. In 2018, federal prosecutors broke up an international black market wildlife ring that involved a Holly Hill man who was shipping South Carolina turtles overseas. Federal prosecutors said Steven Verren Baker was the kingpin of the international smuggling scheme in South Carolina, where he worked with other traders. He received a 27-month prison sentence for his role in the operation. After hearing testimony yesterday, the S.C. Senate subcommittee approved the bill, sending it to the full Senate Fish, Game and Forestry committee for consideration. It would need approval from both the Senate and House and Gov. Henry McMaster’s signature to become law. The bill is being discussed in a year when the state has many higher profile issues to deal with, such as the sale of the Santee Cooper power company. But state Sen. Thomas McElveen, D-Sumter, and others said they were encouraged the bill received subcommittee approval.
January 23, 2020 Dick Mangrum