paying a bribe. North American regulations on turtle hunting Both the American and Canadian governments regulate the consumption, hunting and destruction of turtles and their eggs. In Canada, it is illegal to hunt or kill turtles in most provinces. Ontario allowed snapping turtle hunting as recently as 2016, but that was discontinued in 2017. In the US, some states have imposed bans on collecting turtles from the wild, including for their meat. Turtle hunting in New York State regulates two species of turtles, the diamondback terrapin and the snapping turtle. Snapping turtles are allowed to be hunted only between July 15 and September 30. A small game hunting license is required to hunt the turtle, and it is mandated that the turtle shell must be 12 inches long, or longer in a straight line. Turtles must be killed with a bow or firearm, and there is a limit of 30 turtles per year. Because of risk of food-borne contaminants, health advisories have been implemented with specific cooking instructions for public health. Similarly to regulation of snapping turtles, diamondback terrapin turtles are only allowed to be hunted during specific months of the year. The hunting season for diamondback terrapin turtles is from August 1 to April 30. In order to hunt diamondback terrapins, individuals must possess a hunting license specific to the species of turtle. Shells must be between 4 and 7 inches long, and must be released if the shell size is any different. Diamondback terrapin turtles must be captured by dip nets, seine nets, by hand or with a trap that must be checked on a daily basis. Regulating poaching One of the most difficult obstacles to overcome with the hunting and poaching of sea turtles is the cultural aspect. Many countries, such as Costa Rica, have been hunting and eating sea turtles and sea turtle eggs for a very long time and consider it to be part of their culture. When scientists and conservationists try to explain to native poachers the detrimental impact their actions have on sea turtle populations, or when walking nightly patrols on the beach, they are met with hostility and sometimes violence. Continuous education and outreach is important to mitigating the issue, in addition to beach patrols to prevent poachers from taking eggs or nesting female turtles. Implementing laws that protect animals, such as the radiated tortoise in Madagascar, can help population levels if