# Red-eared slider turtle spotted in Oyster Bay



## Flaviemys purvisi (Nov 1, 2019)

OCTOBER 24 2019
*Eva Kolimar*



*Invasive: They may look pretty but the red-eared slider turtle is a dangerous threat to health and the environment. This adult male was spotted in a creek at Oyster Bay recently.*


A turtle that is one of the world's most invasive species has been spotted at Oyster Bay.

The invasive species team from Sutherland Shire Bushcare found a male red-eared slider turtle in a creek.

These turtles produce lots of offspring and are more aggressive than native turtles found in Australia, and pose a significant threat to them.

_"Sadly some people have these invasive turtles as pets and release them into our waterways when they do not want them anymore,"_ the team posted on its Facebook page. "They can live up to 75 years in captivity.

_"Not only is that devastating for our native turtles but it may also have significant public health costs due to the impacts of turtle-associated salmonella on human health."_

Red-eared slider turtles are recognised reservoirs for the Salmonella bacterium.

They are classified as a Prohibited Dealing under the Biosecurity Act 2015. It is an offence to keep this species.

The species is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as one of the globe's worst invasive alien species.

They are mostly now found in freshwater ecosystems in many developed countries with high densities in urban wetlands.

It is considered an environmental pest outside its natural range because the species competes with native turtles for food, nesting areas and basking sites.

Known as trachemys scripta elegans, the turtle originates from the mid-western states of the US and north eastern Mexico.

Non-native populations of wild-living turtles occur worldwide due to the species being extensively traded as a pet and a food item.

They became a popular pet bcause of their small size as a juvenile. But they grow to be quite larger and can bite. Red-eared slider turtles have been smuggled into, illegally kept released in Australia.

An adult has a distinctive, broad red or orange stripe behind each eye. Narrow yellow stripes mark the head and legs. Some have a dark pigment that covers their coloured markings so that they appear nearly black in colour. Males are usually smaller, and have very long front claws.

They eat fish, frog eggs, tadpoles, aquatic snakes, and a wide variety of aquatic plants and algae.

They are highly adaptable and can tolerate anything from brackish waters, to man made canals, and park ponds.

Red-eared slider turtle may wander far from water and are able to survive cold winters by hibernating. Once available habitat is found the species can rapidly colonise a new area.

In the wild red-eared slider turtles can live for about 30 years.



*Caught: The red-eared turtle found at Oyster Bay.*


An officer from Sutherland Shire Council's bushland management team says this is the first known red-eared slider turtle in the shire outside of the Royal National Park.

_"The turtle incursion was immediately reported to the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) and the turtle was then handed over to Canberra University where it will assist in important research to improve eDNA detection capabilities of red eared slider turtles,"_ the officer said.

_"Red-eared slider turtles present a significant biosecurity risk to the environment.

"Early detection and action is important when dealing with invasive species, and council is taking a proactive approach, with our invasive species team conducting extensive surveys of waterways and wetlands and public education campaigns."_

Jack Rojahn from the university says the turtles are troublesome across the world.

_"They're incredibly damaging in terms of being invasive,"_ he said. _"We're developing a genetic test that will aim to identify the turtle's DNA from water samples, to get some insight into them."_

If you have seen a red-eared slider turtle or know someone that keeps them report it to Sutherland Shire Council: 9710 0333 or the Department of Primary Industries.


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## Sdaji (Nov 1, 2019)

These things will eventually be everywhere. They more or less already are, it's just going to take some time for them to build up their numbers and while that slowly happens there's nothing we can do unfortunately. Probably several turtle species will go extinct because of this and most will have their populations dramatically reduced.


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## Licespray (Jan 20, 2020)

Interesting, I thought since the requirement of being smuggled in that they’d be too expensive for people to want to just dump.


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## Flaviemys purvisi (Jan 20, 2020)

Less expensive than the cost of being caught with it...


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## Pythonguy1 (Jan 20, 2020)

Sdaji said:


> These things will eventually be everywhere.


Exactly, the're going to populate like toads. I hate toads.


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## Sdaji (Jan 20, 2020)

I'm not sure about how they came to Australia but it might have been back when it was legal. They breed easily and I assume have been cheap for a long time, although I've never know anyone who has bought or owned one. They breed so easily that overseas they're literally a few cents each. I'm sure very few people are keeping them these days, but like the toads, once they're established they don't need any assistance.
[doublepost=1579509284,1579509178][/doublepost]


Josiah Rossic said:


> Exactly, the're going to populate like toads. I hate toads.



I like toads and sliders. I'd love to exterminate them but they're both still very cool creatures.


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## Pythonguy1 (Jan 20, 2020)

Sdaji said:


> I like toads and sliders. I'd love to exterminate them but they're both still very cool creatures.


Agreed Sdaji, while I still dislike toads I have to admit that they are pretty cool creatures (yet equally disgusting)


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## Flaviemys purvisi (Jan 20, 2020)

I kept a cane toad as a pet for 2 years just to learn about them. They domesticate very well.


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## Pythonguy1 (Jan 22, 2020)

Two years with a toad?! You have more patience than I do.


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## Flaviemys purvisi (Jan 22, 2020)

Josiah Rossic said:


> Two years with a toad?! You have more patience than I do.


Nowhere near as noisy as my 6 Green Tree Frogs... Lol some nights I could scream at them.


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## Pythonguy1 (Jan 22, 2020)

Flaviemys purvisi said:


> Nowhere near as noisy as my 6 Green Tree Frogs... Lol some nights I could scream at them.


Do they make good pets?


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## CF Constrictor (Jan 23, 2020)

Not in this country


Josiah Rossic said:


> Do they make good pets?


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## Pythonguy1 (Jan 23, 2020)

CF Constrictor said:


> Not in this country


Really, why not?


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## Herpetology (Jan 23, 2020)

Flaviemys purvisi said:


> I kept a cane toad as a pet for 2 years just to learn about them. They domesticate very well.


Taronga zoo had a captive cane toad, lived for 33 years with them (was already an adult before)


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## Pythonguy1 (Jan 23, 2020)

Whoa! 33 years? I thought cane toads could only live for 15!


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## CF Constrictor (Jan 23, 2020)

Because they are introduced pests . in this country , just like cats and foxes !


Josiah Rossic said:


> Really, why not?


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## Pythonguy1 (Jan 24, 2020)

Okay, thanks


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