Wildlife officers: Man jailed after stealing sea turtle eggs

They immediately arrested the man. FWC officers say he had 107 sea turtle eggs.

When a different Florida man was sentenced to jail a year ago for a similar crime, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said an endangered sea turtle’s egg was worth $3 to $5 on the black market.

49 year old Glen Shaw of Tequesta was arrested Friday and charged with taking possession of loggerhead sea turtle eggs.

Their officers began increasing patrols in the area to monitor for illegal activity.

Fifteen of the eggs are being kept for evidence and DNA testing while the remaining eggs were reburied by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation’s biologists. Officials are still investigating the motive behind the egg thefts.

A Florida man faces up to five years in prison for allegedly stealing 107 sea turtle eggs.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service helped FWC officers bring Shaw to justice.

All species of sea turtles are protected by state and federal law.

FWC An FWC officer looks at turtle eggs displayed in the bed of a truck. For advice on protecting sea turtles on Gulf Coast beaches, check out this related story. Sightings outside of those two counties should be reported to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at 888-404-FWCC (3922).

Sea turtle nesting season starts March 1 and runs through October 31, beginning in southeast Florida from Brevard to Broward counties and starting in mid-April on northeast Florida beaches, FWC said.