BOG TURTLE

All wild species deserve to be protected, because all species serve a purpose in intricate the web of life, (called intrinsic value) but sometimes that isn’t enough to motivate humans. Sometimes, people need to see a price tag on something to see its worth (or monetary value), so this is for those people.

Because of their status as a flagship species, protecting Bog Turtles means saving the protector of the entire wetland ecosystem. 

Wetlands are immensely important to humans, and the natural environment in general, as they provide vital ecosystem goods and services. These include: water purification, flood control, carbon sequestration, and ecotourism. All of these things added up to be worth around $94,578,63 (Baral, 2016)! 

When comparing this to the small price that poachers gain from selling stolen turtles from the wild, it seems a ridiculous waste, not only of life, but of money as well.