It’s imperative that if you own a red-eared slider, that you don’t let it loose and contribute to their spread. Initial introduction can be associated to urban centres, but red-eared sliders may also not be widely reported because of their similarity to Western painted turtles. Owners may not recognize the size that red-eared sliders can become in their enclosures or the length of time that they may survive. Red-eared sliders’ primary vector of spread and distribution is via the pet and aquaculture trade. A complete list of countries with introduced populations can be found by viewing their distribution table provided by the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI). Globally, the red-eared slider has been introduced to every continent except Antarctica and is invasive to several countries including South Africa, Australia, South Korea, Thailand, Austria, Latvia, Canada, and the United States to name a few. The University of Georgia – Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health. Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System. Available online at Ĭanadian Southern Ontario Distribution EDDMapS. Canadian West Coast distribution EDDMapS. In British Columbia, populations are found on Vancouver Island from Victoria to Courtenay and on the South Coast of the province, including in Metro Vancouver, as well as in the Southern Interior. In Canada, red-eared sliders have been sighted in Southern Ontario and British Columbia. The red-eared slider is native to the Mississippi River waterways in the United States and has been reported in 32 states outside of its native range. It is believed that this occurs because higher temperatures increase the expression of aromatase, an enzyme that affects sex determination through irreversibly catalyzing androgens into estrogen, producing female turtles (Matsumoto et al., 2013). Higher temperatures during development (around 31☌) will produce female offspring, while lower temperatures (around 26☌) will produce male offspring. This means that the sex of the turtle at birth will be dependent on the temperature it experienced during development. Red-eared sliders are a temperature-dependent sex determination (TDS) species, much like American alligators. Those that reach adulthood have an average lifespan of 25 years and can live up to 40 years. Their high fecundity in comparison to native turtles allows them to be a competitive invader. This usually occurs at around four years of age. Sexual maturity is based on size, not age, with females reaching reproductive maturity at a plastron (lower half of the shell) length of 16–17 cm (Zhang et al., 2020). The new hatchlings are independent and like small adults in appearance. For some populations, the hatchlings emerge from the nests in the late summer, while in others they overwinter in the nest. Hatchling emergence is weather dependent, requiring a range of temperatures between 22☌ to 30☌ for 55 to 80 days. A single female turtle can lay up to four clutches each year and each clutch will contain between four and twenty-three soft-shelled eggs. Nesting follows, in the spring and summer when female turtles dig holes in the soil to deposit their eggs. Red-eared slider courtship and mating activities usually occur in the spring and summer months and take place in the water. Proper identification of either turtle can be an effective means of protecting natural ecosystems. Red-eared sliders may be mistaken for native species like Western painted turtles but can be distinguished by the red markings on their head. Their high fecundity and adaptability to new habitats make them effective competitors over native turtles and they are capable of spreading diseases, such as ranavirus, to other wildlife. Though small as juveniles, the turtles grow into large adults with complex needs which pet owners may fail to foresee, leading to their unfortunate, and often illegal, release into the wild. Due to their popularity as pets in many parts of the world, their primary mode of introduction is through pet release. A world traveler, this turtle species has introduced populations on every continent except Antarctica. Red-eared sliders ( Trachemys scripta elegans) are an invasive turtle species to Canada, originating from the Mississippi River waterways of the United States.
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