Red-Eared Slider Turtles:
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.
- India is home to 29 freshwater turtles and tortoise species of the 356 turtle species recognised worldwide and around 80%of them are threatened.
- The red-eared slider is primarily aquatic and will emerge from the water for basking on rocks and logs.
- When basking, red-eared sliders commonly pile on top of each other, and when startled by the sound or sight of a potential predator, they will slide off their basking spot back into the water, hence their name, “slider.”
- Red-eared slider turtles are classified as controlled pest animals under the Victorian Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994.
- Scientific Name: Trachemys scripta elegans
- 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.
- Geography: The red-eared slider is native to South-Eastern USA and Mexico.
Protection Status:
- IUCN Red List: Least Concern
- CITES: N/A
- Wildlife Protection Act 1972: N/A
