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Common Name: The Red-Eared Slider Turtle.
Scientific Name: Trachemys Scripta Elegans.
First things first. Turtles do not have ears. At least, not like me and you. They have little earholes that connect to the inner workings in their pretty little head that make the magic of hearing happen. Okay? Okay, cool. This animals name has led to some pretty silly google searches, lemme tell ya.
Now, little-bit of a kind-of history lesson for these fellas here. Bore and snore I know. But, you may have actually seen these turtles around your local watering holes, or perhaps crossing the street, or even in your backyard. I know I have. Local fishing spots are littered with Red-Eared Sliders. But they didn’t get there on their own; at least not ecologically speaking anyways. That turtle you see in your Virginian backyard pond is more than likely the descendant of an escaped pet Red-Eared Slider from the past who survived along with other released Sliders of the time. From there they grouped up and grew in numbers in the wild, as more were released, these invasive turtles outcompeted the native species for resources with relative ease.
Red-Eared Sliders were popularized as pets in the early 1900’s. These animals are easily identified by their vibrant red strip along the sides of their neck and faces. They are relatively simple and inexpensive to care for. However, many owners released their Red-Eared Sliders into the wild. Red-Eared sliders are native to the Southern and Central US. This means they are considered invasive species here in Virginia, on the East Coast.
Due to their adaptable nature and suitability to the local environments, they proliferated into thriving populations. These animals tend to out-compete native species, and dominant local resources. These turtles are relatively large and are notoriously aggressive invaders. The fact that The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are canonically Red-Eared Sliders is a testament to their ability to kick butt and take names.
Don’t believe me? See for yourself. Check out the TMNT fandom’s wiki: https://turtlepedia.fandom.com/wiki/Red-eared_slider
Although this sort of action helps rake in the comic book sales and ramp up the box-office numbers, it is not the best business plan for the sustainability of the environment. The presence of these Sliders means trouble for local native species. These invasive Red-Eared Sliders have a long and strong history of bullying natives out of their homes and habitats. Because of this a few states in the US and countries across the world have outlawed the Red-Eared Slider as a pet. This was done in hopes to deter further growth of the existing invasive populations.
Red-eared sliders do not hibernate, but actually brumate; while they become less active, they do occasionally rise to the surface for food or air. In the wild, red-eared sliders brumate over the winter at the bottoms of ponds or shallow lakes. Red-eared sliders are omnivores. In the wild, they feed on aquatic vegetation, small fish and decaying material. Pet red-eared sliders will feed on just about anything you give them, but I recommend feeding them a commercial turtle food or pellet to benefit proper growth and health.
These showstoppers are considered one the most popular pets on the Earth. Because of this, these reptiles have invaded every continent on the planet (except Antarctica, which hardly even counts anyways).
According the Invasive Species Initiative the best current management practices include catching the turtles with baited traps and either sterilizing or euthanizing them. These methods are time and money consuming. Also, hunting adults and collecting eggs or hatchlings is permitted since these species were illegally introduced in the first place. So, turtle soup anyone?
If you want to check out this resource for more info go to http://www.invasivespeciesinitiative.com/redeared-slider
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature, along with the Invasive Species Specialist Group, has included the Red-Eared Slider in the “List of the World’s 100 Most Invasive Species.” So, before you get upset about my turtle soup comment, just know, these guys ain’t no joke.
Get the full list at http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/100_worst.php
There is a local Virginia state park that has a Red-Eared Slider in their environmental education center. Twin Lakes State Park hosts informational programs with Myrtle the Turtle, their resident rescued and rehabilitated red-eared slider. The park is also a great place to encounter one of these real-life Ninja Turtles in the wild, if you’re looking for a more naturalistic firsthand experience.
If you are interested in learning more or visiting go to https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/twin-lakes
Be on the lookout for these masked menaces in your area this week. And next week this blog will be looking into either the invasive impostor Coypu or the native decorated Eastern Box Turtle. Till then, make some soup or read a good comic book. Peace out y'all.
-The Native
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