Red-Eared Slider Turtles

Facts for Prelims

Red-Eared Slider Turtles

News: Recently, experts have expressed the concern that the presence of invasive and non-native south Red-Eared Slider Turtles would lead to the extinction of native species of their own kind.

About:
• It is primarily aquatic.
• Red-eared slider turtles are classified as controlled pest animals under the Victorian Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994
• They can tolerate a wide range of habitats and are sometimes found in estuaries and coastal wetlands with brackish water. The red-eared slider is native to South-Eastern USA and Mexico.
• IUCN Red list – Least concern

Why is there presence in India a concern?
• In India, keeping indigenous turtles as pets is prohibited under the Wildlife Protection Act. But the foreign breeds are not restricted and are kept as pets in many families across India. They are small and easy-to-maintain species and therefore a hit in the pet market. The species breeds faster compared to other local turtle varieties. As their size increases, they no longer fit in small tanks or ponds. The owners release them in the wild or nearby waterbodies and once released, they become a threat to the local fauna.
• As they mature fast, grow larger, and produce more offspring, and are very aggressive, they can out- compete native turtles for food, nestling, and basking sites. They eat plants and animals and can finish off a wide range of aquatic species, including fish and rare frogs. They can also transfer diseases and parasites to native reptile species.