Red-eared Slider

27 February 2020, a sunny, 60ᵒ F day, brought out a turtle at the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge—a Red-eared Slider. Note the red behind the eye. These turtles do not hibernate. They are able to slow their metabolism and can emerge on a warm day. They are the most frequently observed turtle in most of western Washington (Paulson). The problem with Red-eared Sliders is that, while native of the southeastern United States, they have escaped or been released from the pet trade all over the world. Feral populations are now found in Australia, Europe, South Africa, the Middle East, Asia, the Caribbean, and various Pacific Islands. Paulson warns, “These invasive turtles compete with native turtles and transmit diseases to them.”