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Anonymous
>>295095 In some states it is.
besides that I dont think that you have an ornate box turtle. I beleive you have a florida box. the florida has a rounded shell and a yellow strip on the side of the neck. which we can't see in your photo.
so its fine in your state. HOWEVER. The eastern box turtle is protected in your state. http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/nhesp_temp/conservation/herps/turtle_tips.htm
4) What should I do if I already have a protected species of turtle that came from the wild? Do not release it into the wild if it has been kept with any other turtles or if it has been in captivity for a long period of time! It could transmit a disease to other wild turtles. In these cases contact the Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program. Otherwise, individuals returned to the wild should be set free at the same location where they were found. That's where they know where to find food, shelter, and mates.
and on http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/regulations/plain_language/hunting_herps.htm 1. Closed Season: There is a closed season on the hunting, fishing, taking and possession of the following reptiles and amphibians: Blanding's Turtle, Blue-spotted Salamander, Bog Turtle, Copperhead, Diamondback Terrapin, Eastern Box Turtle, Eastern Hognosed Snake, Eastern Ratsnake, Eastern Spadefoot, Eastern Wormsnake, Four-toed Salamander, Green Seaturtle, Hawksbill Seaturtle, Jefferson Salamander, Kemps' Ridley Seaturtle, Leatherback Seaturtle, Loggerhead Seaturtle, Marbled Salamander, Northern Leopard Frog, Northern Red-bellied Cooter, Spotted Salamander, Spotted Turtle, Spring Salamander, Timber Rattlesnake, and Wood Turtle.
Closed season means you cannot hunt/take them in that state. However, as a future CO, I'll tell you that unless you go about waving them in the public its unforcable. And since you didnt catch it but ordered it online you would just be made to buy a permit.
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