DUBUQUE — Officials for a Dubuque museum say they’ve received 16 baby turtles that were confiscated at an airport in Alaska. The National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium in Dubuque says the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service confiscated the turtles at an airport in Anchorage, Alaska. They arrived at the museum on Wednesday. More than 200 turtles were recovered after being packed inside boots in luggage. The museum says federal officials thwarted a plan to illegally export them to China.
The museum says they received wood turtles, Blanding’s turtles and loggerhead musk turtles, among others.
Some of the turtles will be on display after a quarantine period. Museum officials gave eight turtles to Mines of Spain Recreation Area and Maquoketa Caves State Park.