Freshwater turtles are among the most threatened vertebrate groups globally. Their welfare in trade, captivity, and the wild deserves greater attention.
Freshwater turtle welfare is inseparable from their conservation crisis. Over half of all freshwater turtle species are threatened, driven by collection for Asian food and medicine markets and habitat loss. The welfare implications of the trade are significant: turtles collected from the wild and transported in bulk suffer from crowding, desiccation, and injury, with high mortality rates before reaching markets. Surviving turtles in food markets face inhumane slaughter without stunning. Head-starting programs that raise critically endangered hatchlings in protected conditions before release improve conservation outcomes while providing welfare benefits to the most vulnerable individuals. Road mortality during nesting represents a large-scale but tractable welfare problem — targeted road closures or crossing structures during peak nesting periods dramatically reduce this preventable mortality.