Micke Grove Zoo

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Red-eared Slider
Trachemys scripta elegans

  • Habitat: Lives in freshwater lake and pond habitats
  • Range: South-western United States of America
  • Natural Diet: Aquatic invertebrates and plants
  • Status in the Wild: Not evaluated

 

Fun Facts

  • These turtles were named after the red-line that borders their ears.

  • They are predominantly aquatic leaving water bodies only to bask in the sun and to build terrestrial nests.

  • The female slider turtles are larger than the males.

  • These turtles breed prolifically laying up to 2 and half dozen eggs per clutch. They could lay five clutches per year.

  • During the winter months, these turtles become dormant in a hibernation-like state called brumation.

 

Conservation Threats

Although they are impacted by habitat loss, water pollution, road mortality, and pet trade, these threats do not seem to have a significant impact on their population numbers in the wild

These turtles are considered an invasive species since they are been released into the wild  in non-native habitats by disinterested pet owners

 

 This species is listed as one of the most invasive species in the World

 

The red lines that gave them their name is  is quite distinctive and is located on either side on the top of their heads

 

 

Map Distributional range in the U.S