Invasive pet turtles multiply in the wild, imperil local fauna

77 red-eared slider turtles collected in three months; scientists ask pet owners not to leave them in waterbodies

Scientists of the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) have warned that the red-eared slider turtle, one of the world’s worst invasive species, has gone out from captivity to the wild in many places in the State, posing a threat to the ecosystem. Scientists at the Nodal Centre for Biological Invasions (NCBI), KFRI, have already collected 77 turtles from various districts in three months. The red-eared slider turtle, scientifically known as Trachemys scripta elegans, is a huge hit with pet lovers, especially children, because of its small size. The hatchling can even fit into a matchbox. But it grows very fast. When people find it difficult to keep them, they release the turtles to waterbodies. The turtles eat plants and animals, and finish off a wide range of aquatic species, including fish and frogs. Pet turtles are found to carry infections and when released into the wild, they can transmit them to the native fauna.