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.

‘We will collect’

The first incident, reported by

The Hindu in February, was at Kalathode in Thrissur, when a lone individual was collected during fishing. Suspecting a recurrence in other places, the NCBI had issued a public alert to pet owners not to release the turtles into the wild. It offered to collect the turtles if people want to get rid of them.

The NCBI received nearly 250 calls from across the State. A new facility to house and study the red-eared slider turtle was developed at the KFRI. In three months, 77 turtles were collected from Kozhikode, Malappuram, Thrissur, Palakkad, Ernakulam, Idukki, Kollam, and Thiruvananthapuram districts, said T.V. Sajeev, senior principal scientist, KFRI.

A very young one

“In a bizarre case at Thodupuzha, two turtles were abandoned in a sack on the roadside. Fortunately they were found by Forest officials. With public’s help, we could identify two natural locations where these turtles are found in groups — Thirivachira pond in Kozhikode and Pathirappally in Thiruvananthapuram. Six or more turtles were found in both these areas, where they had been inhabiting for months. A very young turtle, less than a year old, was collected from Edappalam in Thrissur, which indicated the possibility of the turtles breeding in the wild,” he said.

“It is alarming that people are creating favourable conditions for a potential invasive species to spread, proliferate, and impact our ecosystem,” Dr. Sajeev added.