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Red-eared Slider Turtle

  • Posted By
    10Pointer
  • Categories
    Environment
  • Published
    12th Sep, 2022

Context

The presence of the red-eared slider turtle, an invasive species, in the public water bodies of Kerala has become a cause for concern.


About

  • The major concern is as it not only destroys the aqua ecosystem (extinction of native species) but also carries a bacteria which is harmful to the human body. 
    • Hence, it is known to be a major invasive alien species.
  • India is home to 29 freshwater turtles and tortoise species of the 356 turtle species recognised worldwide and around 80 per cent of them are threatened.
  • 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.
  • These small and easy-to-maintain species are a hit in the pets market. 
    • The species breeds faster compared to other local turtle varieties. 
  • In India, it is widely found in urban wetlands, such as — 
    • Sukhna lake in Chandigarh
    • Temple ponds of Guwahati
    • Lakes of Bengaluru
    • Sanjay Gandhi national park in Mumbai
    • Yamuna river in Delhi

About Red-eared Slider Turtle

  • The red-eared slider is a freshwater turtle with a distinctive red strip behind each ear.
  • The red-eared sliders are native to south-eastern USA and Mexico, but have found their way across the globe including India through trade of exotic animals.
  • Habitat: They can tolerate a wide range of habitats and are sometimes found in estuaries and coastal wetlands with brackish water.
    • They can also tolerate a range of water quality and accept high levels of organic pollutants such as effluent and inorganic pollutants.
  • Red-eared slider turtles are classified as controlled pest animals under the Victorian Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994.
  • Scientific Name: Trachemys scripta elegans.
  • Threat to ecosystem: The red-eared slider turtles are considered a major threat to native turtle specials, 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 can also transfer diseases and parasites to native reptile species.
    • The Red-Eared Slider Turtle is considered to be one of the world’s worst invasive species.
  • Protection Status
    • IUCN Red List: Least Concern
    • CITES: N/A
    • Wildlife Protection Act 1972: N/A
  • Distinctive Features
    • They have a broad red or orange stripe behind each eye with narrow yellow stripes marking the rest of the black body, neck, legs and tail.
    • They have distinctive long claws on their front and hind legs where claws are longer and more prominent in males than females.
    • They retract their head straight back into their shell when threatened. Native turtles tuck their neck to one side underneath the shell.
      • Their shell is dome-shaped, likened to the shape of a helmet.

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