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Red-eared slider turtle in latest national pest alert
16 September 2009
A new national animal pest alert urges the public to be on the lookout for the invasive red-eared slider turtle.
It follows the discovery of two red-eared slider turtles in Perth this month, while several others have been surrendered, seized and found in metropolitan lakes in recent years.
Alert coordinator, Department of Agriculture and Food technical officer Win Kirkpatrick, said the four-page brochure was designed to alert the public to the risks to other native species posed by the red-eared slider, how to identify the pest and what action to take.
The alert gives a description of slider turtles, which are marked by a broad red or orange stripe behind each eye, as well as how to distinguish the pests from similar-looking native turtles.
“It is important that people are able to correctly identify slider turtles and report the pests,” Ms Kirkpatrick said.
The alert brochure is the sixth in a series designed to raise public awareness of emerging invasive species.
Other alerts have been issued on the Indian ringneck parrot, the house crow, common myna bird, rusa deer and the ferret.
“Raising community awareness about emerging pests will encourage greater vigilance in identification and reporting,” Ms Kirkpatrick said.
“There is a great reliance on the public to act as agricultural and environmental stewards by reporting pest species to prevent the establishment of feral populations.”
Department of Environment and Conservation wildlife officer Alex Bowlay said red-eared sliders posed an extreme risk of establishment in the wild in Australia and would damage the environment if they became established.
“Sliders compete aggressively with Australian native freshwater turtles for food, favoured basking and nesting sites, and also carry diseases that infect native turtles,” Mr Bowlay said.
The series of pest alert brochures has been produced with support from the Australian Government’s Bureau of Rural Sciences and are endorsed nationally by the Vertebrate Pests Committee and relevant state and territory authorities.
They are being distributed throughout Australia and are on the Department of Agriculture and Food’s website www.agric.wa.gov.au by searching for ‘pest alert’.
Any sightings of unusual animals and birds can be reported to the department’s Pest and Disease Information Service on Freecall 1800 084 881 or by calling the Wildcare Helpline on (08) 9474 9055.
Media contacts:
Win Kirkpatrick, technical officer 9366 2322
Jodie Thomson/Lisa Bertram, media liaison 9368 3937/9368 3325
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