08/27/2026
From the Shadows of Wildlife Trafficking to a Second Chance
Wildlife conservation doesn't always happen in distant rainforests or on the African savanna.
Sometimes, it begins with a phone call... And unfolds right here in Kansas.
In August 2025, Rolling Hills Zoo received an urgent request to provide care for 51 ornate box turtles confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade. The answer was immediate:
Yes.
Since then, additional confiscated turtles have arrived at Rolling Hills Zoo, bringing the total number of turtles received into our care to 83.
Our animal care and veterinary teams have spent countless hours providing medical care, disease testing, nutritious food, health monitoring, and helping these remarkable animals recover from the stress and trauma of wildlife trafficking.
Today, 60 turtles are living in a 10,000-square-foot native grass habitat, where they can once again do what turtles are meant to do - explore, graze, hide, dig, and burrow. Another 12 continue receiving specialized care as they work to regain strength and maintain healthy weights.
Their journey has also brought together an incredible community of people. Thanks to Eagle Scout candidate Aidan Deniau-Young, members of [Eagle Scout] Troop 2, and Rolling Hills Zoo staff, specially designed outdoor habitats were built to give the turtles a more natural environment as they continue their recovery.
But their journey isn't over.
The ultimate hope is to someday return these turtles to the wild. Unfortunately, it isn't as simple as opening a gate. Ornate box turtles typically live within very small home ranges, and releasing them into unfamiliar territory or without understanding potential disease risks could endanger both the confiscated turtles and wild populations.
That is why their future is still being written.
These turtles are part of AZA's Wildlife Confiscations Network, a partnership that helps provide immediate care and housing for wildlife confiscated through illegal trafficking while law enforcement agencies focus on investigating and prosecuting those responsible.
The ornate box turtle, also Kansas' state reptile, is one of many turtle and tortoise species facing increasing threats around the world. Every adult turtle removed from the wild represents not just one animal, but potentially generations that may never exist.
“We often think conservation happens somewhere else,” said Rolling Hills Zoo Executive Director Ryan VanZant. “But sometimes conservation begins with answering a phone call. These turtles remind us that protecting wildlife isn't just something that happens across the globe. It happens right here in Kansas, and with species native to Kansas.”
For now, these turtles are safe.
They are receiving expert care.
They are exploring the grass, digging burrows, and rediscovering natural behaviors.
And one day, we hope they will find their way home.
They are no longer victims. They are survivors.
