"Snap To It: U.S. Mulls Adding Turtles To Endangered Species List"

"The U.S. government has proposed adding four types of freshwater turtles to an international endangered species list, in part to better monitor exports of the species, whose meat is considered a delicacy in Asia.

Under the plan the common snapping turtle, Florida softshell turtle, smooth softshell turtle and spiny softshell turtle would be listed under the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), a global pact ratified by 180 countries.

In a Federal Register posting, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said a CITES listing would allow it to determine whether exports are taking place legally and if other measures are needed to conserve the species."
 
Ros Krasny reports for Reuters October 30, 2014.