Wildlife conservation does not always happen somewhere far away.

Sometimes, it happens right here in Kansas.

Eighty-three ornate box turtles confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade have been brought to the Salina area over the past year, where they have received veterinary care, disease testing, nutritional support and continued monitoring as they recover from the stress of capture and trafficking.

The first group of 51 turtles arrived in August 2025. Additional confiscated turtles followed, eventually bringing the total received to 83.

The ornate box turtle is also the official state reptile of Kansas, making the case especially notable locally.

Today, 60 of the turtles are living in a 10,000-square-foot native grass habitat, where they can explore, graze, hide, dig and burrow much as they would in the wild.

Another 12 remain under specialized care as they continue to regain strength and maintain healthy weights.

Their recovery has also turned into an unusual community project.

Eagle Scout candidate Aidan Deniau-Young, members of Troop 2 and animal-care staff helped build specially designed outdoor habitats for the turtles, giving them space to return to more natural behaviors while still being closely monitored.

It is not exactly the typical Eagle Scout project.

In this case, the work helped create a home for dozens of animals that had been removed from the wild and swept into the illegal wildlife trade.

The long-term goal is to eventually return the turtles to the wild, but that process is more complicated than simply opening a gate.

Ornate box turtles typically live within relatively small home ranges. Releasing them into unfamiliar territory could reduce their chances of survival, and disease concerns also have to be considered before animals are returned to wild populations.

The turtles are part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Wildlife Confiscations Network, which helps arrange care for animals seized in trafficking cases while law enforcement agencies focus on investigations and prosecutions.

For now, their recovery continues near Salina.

Sixty are back in native grass, digging burrows and moving through an environment that looks a little more like home.

And if everything goes right, the hope is that some of them may eventually return to the Kansas prairie.

The turtles are currently being cared for at Rolling Hills Zoo, which has received the animals in several groups since August 2025.