IRELAND NEEDS to guard against an invasion of yellow-bellied sliders – no, not the evasive political species from Kildare Street, but the semi-aquatic turtle species from the US.
It seems at least one of the creatures was spotted on the banks of the Dodder in Dublin recently taking a stroll in the sunshine. And while the image made for a good photo, the creature should be seen on riverbanks in Florida rather than near an Irish waterway. Ireland has no native species of freshwater turtle.
The yellow-bellied slider (Trachemys scripta scripta) ranges from southeast Virginia to northern Florida. It is farmed there in large quantities and sold in pet shops all over the world.
The creature is an omnivore and will eat a wide variety of plant and animal foods. And it can grow to a length of 28cm (11in).
Colette O’Flynn, research officer with the National Biodiversity Data Centre at Waterford Institute of Technology, said the occurrence of sliders in Ireland is probably a result of pet owners releasing them into the wild. She warned, however, that releasing foreign species into the wild is not a good idea. “People often have good intentions when releasing unwanted pets, but they may not realise they can indirectly cause serious harm to our precious native wildlife,” she said.
She said the intrepid amphibians may be able to take advantage of Ireland’s changing climate, which could help invasive species survive and establish.
