208 box turtles recovered after illegal dumping in Cranford
Cranford officials have ended the collection effort after more than 200 turtles were recovered following the July dumping incident.
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More than 200 box turtles have now been recovered following an illegal dumping incident in Cranford, as officials wind down the collection effort.
The Township of Cranford said 208 box turtles had been recovered as of Aug. 16, up from 162 reported earlier this month.
The Cranford Fire Department stopped accepting recovered turtles as of Aug. 17. Officials said any additional inquiries should be directed to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's Fish and Wildlife Endangered and Nongame Species Program.
The turtles were discovered July 29 along the edge of a river near Riverside Drive and Casino Avenue. The group included Eastern box turtles, which are native to New Jersey, and three-toed box turtles, which are not native to the state.
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Recovered turtles were transported to the Mercer County Wildlife Center for treatment and evaluation. State wildlife officials previously said healthy Eastern box turtles would be released into suitable habitat, while three-toed box turtles would be returned to wildlife agencies within their native range.
The township thanked residents and organizations that assisted with the recovery effort.
Authorities have previously said the turtles were illegally dumped and that a law enforcement investigation was underway. Officials have not announced who may have released the turtles.
