Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
New York's problem with red eared sliders - Coggle Diagram
New York's problem with red eared sliders
Harms the ecosystem of the ponds
Crowds the ponds, leaving little space for the native turtles
Can cause harmful algae blooms
Waste from the many turtles means lots of algae blooms
Algae feeds of the waste from animals
Algae can be harmful by blocking the sunlight and consuming the oxygen, meaning things that live in the pond lack oxygen and sunlight
Possibly exposing people to salmonella
Popular pets
Expensive
Released illegally when people no longer want them
Because lots of turtles are released the ponds become overrun
Live for a long time
Requires lots of maintenance
About 90% of red eared sliders in the ponds are abandoned pets
Illegal sales
As of 2020, at least 20 websites illegally selling red eared sliders smaller than 4 inches
Often sold by street vendors
Not much information provided, so the people who buy them are not prepared to looked after them
The sale of turtles with shells fewer than 4 inches wide is illegal in New York
Baby turtles are mostly illegal so they are not sold in pet shops
There is still demand for baby turtles, so they are sold illegally
This is to prevent children being able to fit whole baby turtles in their mouths and getting salmonella poisoning
Red eared sliders are a very adaptable species
so they can easily survive, even when they arent in their natural habitat
Will eat almost anything
When there is lots of food, the grow lots and in Morningside Park Pond this is especially a problem, and lots of the turtles are overweight
Sturdy shells and fast swimmers
Good defences from predators
If they aren't killed by predators, the numbers keep going up
Can survive months without eating by slowing their metabolism