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Abstract
Reptile and amphibian populations are drastically declining on a global scale. Many factors contribute to their risk of extinction, including unsustainable use due to the illegal wildlife trade. Confiscated turtles are often not returned to the wild due to concerns over disease or because their collection location is unknown. As more confiscations take place, there is urgency to evaluate whether seized turtles can contribute to conservation of wild populations, but post-release monitoring data are lacking. I radio-tracked 39 released confiscated eastern box turtles and 10 sympatric resident turtles for two years on the Savannah River Site (SRS), South Carolina. Confiscated turtles established home ranges, which were larger in Year 1 but comparable to residents in Year 2. Confiscated turtles had a 60.0% - 65.0% survival rate in Year 1 but their survival increased to 95.8% - 100% in Year 2. They also had high pathogen prevalence and complex coinfections.