亦稱半箱龜(semibox turtle)水龜科(Emydidae)淡水龜，學名為Emys blandingi，產於加拿大南部和美國中北部至東北部。背甲平均長約20公分(8吋)，光滑，圓形或長圓形，稍黑而帶黃色斑紋。齶鮮黃色，腹甲在身體中央處鉸合併可鬆開以保護頭、四肢和尾。通常生活在池塘、靜水河川及其他淺水區域，適應水棲生活，但亦常上陸活動，以昆蟲、甲殼動物和某些植物為食。
基本介紹
- 中文學名：布蘭丁龜
- 拉丁學名：Emys blandingi
- 別稱：半箱龜
- 界：動物界
- 科：水龜科
簡介,現狀,
簡介
龜(semibox turtle)。，適應水棲生活，但亦常上陸活動，以昆蟲、甲殼動物和某些植物為食。
水龜科(Emydidae)淡水龜，學名為Emys blandingi，產於加拿大南部和美國中北部至東北部。背甲平均長約20公分(8吋)，光滑，圓形或長圓形，稍黑而帶黃色斑紋。齶鮮黃色，腹甲在身體中央處鉸合併可鬆開以保護頭、四肢和尾。通常生活在池塘、靜水河川及其他淺水區域。
現狀
布蘭丁龜是自然資源部規定的省級瀕危物種，在安省受到自然資源部有關捕捉和擁有規則的保護。而鱷龜則會非常兇險，由於它們有著強有力的下頜，長長的脖子和迅速的反映能力，捕捉者會被它們嚴重咬傷。當它們感覺到有危險時可能會咬斷你的手指或腳趾。
The Blanding’s turtle is provincially threatened species designated by the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), and is protected in Ontario under MNR regulations from collection and possession. Snapping turtles can be extremely dangerous -- catchers can become victims of the turtles’ nasty bites as a result of their powerful jaws, long neck and quick reflexes. They may snap off your fingers or toes if they feel endangered.
但那些勇敢而長期的捕龜者們則臨危不懼。他們冒著被龜咬傷的危險，對為捉龜而入獄在所不惜。他們之所以這么乾，是僅僅出於對龜賞玩的愛好，還是被商業利益驅使？
Are those obsessed yet brave turtle poachers -- who are never scared of them and risk of being fined and locked behind the bars for catching them - driven by business interests or a strange emotion that goes beyond the mere joy of possessing them?
今年51歲的Pak Sun Chung是一名來自中國的移民，他有著7年捕捉布蘭丁龜，鱷龜，牛蛙的歷史。本周，他向法庭認罪。他被判違反魚類及野生動物保護法法規，非法占有牛蛙和鱷龜。Chung因為類似的違法行為共被13次定罪，他也因此被判監禁和遭數千元的高額罰款。
Pak Sun Chung, 51, a Chinese immigrant who had a 7 year history of harvesting Blanding turtles, snapping turtles and bullfrogs, pleaded guilty and was convicted under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act of illegally possessing bullfrogs and snapping turtles this week. In all, Chung had 13 previous convictions for similar offences, which resulted in jail time and thousands of dollars in outstanding fines.
自然資源部的省執法專家David Critchlow表示，Chung是自然資源部所處理的所有違法行為中，一名最嚴重的違法者。
Chung is also the most serious offender that the MNR has ever dealt with, according to David Critchlow, Provincial Enforcement Specialist with the MNR.
Chung的一系列違法行為始於2002年10月9日。當時約克區警方在進行例行交通巡邏時攔下了Chung的車。Chung沒有釣魚許可證，但警方卻在他的汽車裡發現123隻活牛蛙，10隻活鱷龜，和兩隻內陸彩龜。
Chung’s series offences started on October 9, 2002, when he was stopped by York Regional Police during a routine traffic patrol. Chung, who had no fishing license, was found in possession of 123 live bullfrogs, 10 live snapping turtles, and two Midland painted turtles in his car.
Critchlow指出，僅在2002年一年間，Chung就被發現共有三次違犯安省法律的行為。
In 2002 alone, Chung was found to have committed three offences under the provincial legislation, according to Critchlow.
按照法規，持有安省釣魚許可證的個人最多可以捕釣10隻牛蛙，可在南安省於7月15日至9月15日的釣魚季期間最多捕釣5隻鱷龜。在非釣魚季節運輸野生動物或捕釣魚類，或超過法定捕捉量限額都屬於非法行為。
Under the legislation, a person with a valid fishing license can have up to 10 bullfrogs in their possession, and up to five snapping turtles during the July 15 to September 15 open season in southern Ontario. It is illegal to transport wildlife or fish captured during the closed season or in quantities above the legal harvest limit.
自然資源部和警方經過18個月的調查後，Chung因為非法運送和占有本土兩棲動物及爬行動物在2004年被處以16,000元的罰款，並被禁止捕釣三年。
As a result, Chung was fined $16,000 for illegally transporting and possessing native amphibians and reptiles, following an 18-month investigation by the MNR and police, and was banned from fishing for three years in 2004.
但是這些指控和罰款並未停止Chung沉迷釣龜的非法行為。2005年7月13日，Chung和45歲的多倫多男子Kit Wong在Kawartha Lakes用肉和魚做誘餌的大魚鉤，捕釣到三隻鱷龜和兩隻綠蛙。
But the charges and fines did not stop Chung from engaging in illegal activities of harvesting turtles. On July 13, 2005, Chung and Kit Wong - a 45-year-old Toronto man -- were caught with three snapping turtles and two green frogs in Kawartha Lakes, with large hooks baited with meat or fish parts.
Chung和Wong當場被自然資源部的保護官員逮捕。在經過兩年的調查後，Chung再次被罰款11,900元，並被判非法追獵，捕獲和運送野生動物，被禁止垂釣或與垂釣15年。
Chung and Wong were arrested on the spot by the Ministry’s conservation officers. After a two-year investigation, Chung was fined another $11,900, convicted of illegally hunting, capturing and transporting wildlife, and banned from fishing for 15 years.
Wong則對非法占有和運送野生動物，向官方提供虛假聲明罪名等指控供認不諱，他被處以1,800元的罰款，並被永久沒收釣魚器材。
Wong, who pleaded guilty to illegally possessing and transporting wildlife and making a false statement to a conservation officer, was fined $1,800 and had his fishing equipment seized permanently.
兩年後，Chung再次被控違反魚類及野生動物保護法，並被發現與一家餐館東主Dan Du所遭指控有間接關係。
Two years later, Chung was again charged for one more offence under the legislation, and was indirectly connected with charges laid against a restaurant owner - Dan Du.
在並非是捕釣鱷龜和牛蛙的季節2007年7月10日，自然保護廳官員在Wallaceburg餐館的停車場發現Chung和沒有釣魚許可證的Kim Long Lai，非法擁有彩龜，鱷龜和牛蛙。
On July 10, 2007, when the season was closed for snapping turtles and bullfrogs, conservation officers discovered Chung and Kim-Long Lai, who did not possess a fishing license, in illegally possessing of painted turtles, snapping turtles and bullfrogs in the parking lot of a Wallaceburg restaurant.
Critchlow表示：“雖然我們很清楚餐館東主是從Chung那裡獲得龜。但卻沒有足夠證據。如果我們獲證，他們將被控非法購買/銷售特殊保護野生動物得更嚴重的指控。”
“We are fairly certain but just don’t have enough evidence to prove that the restaurant owner obtained the turtles from Chung. They would have been charged with unlawful buying/selling of specially protected wildlife - a more serious charge, had we obtained evidence,” said Critchlow.
Critchlow表示，銷售或購買運動捕釣到的魚類或魚類器官在安省屬於非法行為。安省法律規定，業餘釣魚許可證並非允許你出售捕釣到的魚類。因為業餘捕的魚並未受到食品安全和質量檢查，安省法律旨在保護安省居們的身體健康和安全，防止居民服用被污染的魚類。
In Ontario, It is illegal to sell or buy fish or fish parts caught for sport. A Sport Fishing License is not a license to sell what you catch. Since sport-caught fish are not subject to food safety and quality inspections, the legislation intends to protect the health and safety of Ontarians and safeguards residents from eating contaminated fish, according to Critchlow.
但在2007年8月23日，自然資源部官員再次發現Chung擁有26隻布蘭丁龜和1隻斑海龜。Chung同時還擁有兩隻鱷龜，30隻牛蛙，以及一隻白尾鹿。
On Aug. 23, 2007, Chung was again found in possession of 26 Blanding’s turtles and one spotted turtle by MNR officers. Also in Chung’s possession were two snapping turtles and 30 bullfrogs, as well as a quartered white-tailed deer.
Chung在律師的協助下向法庭否認其捕釣的海龜是用於商業用途。他向法庭表示所捕捉的龜是用於製造中藥。
With the assistance of his lawyer, Chung denied, during the court proceedings, that he poached the turtles for commercial use. He told the court the turtles were used for making Chinese herbs.
所有的罰款，定罪和監禁似乎並未阻止Chung停止非法捕釣行為。隨著其非法行為的增加，對Chung的刑期也不斷上漲，由於在2007年7月再次違法，Chung被逮捕並被關押14天。2009年9月10日，Chung因為屢次重犯被監禁150天。
None the fines, convictions or jail terms seemed to have deterred Chung from engaging in these activities. But as a result of his continued illegal activities, Chung’s jail term escalated. Resulting from July 2007 activity, Chung was arrested and remanded in custody for 14 days, and on Sept 10, 2009, he again received 150 days in jail for his repeated offences
Critchlow表示：“尊重和保護野生動物使每一名加拿大公民的職責…… 如果有人以為他能逃脫對其違法行為的法律制裁，那末他就大錯特錯了。”
“Respecting and protecting wildlife is a shared responsibility in Canada……Never assume that someone can get away with illegal offences under the wildlife protection legislation,” said Critchlow.
