Pond Slider

Pond Slider(Red-eared slider)(Trachemys scripta)	
Pond Slider(Red-eared slider)(Trachemys scripta)
Image required 	Image required
Invasive Status 	Invasive Status
Mildly Invasive 	Population increasing
Natural Range 	Natural Range
*East USA
*North-east Mexico	
*East USA
*North-east Mexico
Introduced Range	Introduced Range
*North America
*Caribbean Sea
*Parts of South America
*Oceania
*South-east Asia
*South Africa
*Europe	
*North America
*Caribbean Sea
*Parts of South America
*Oceania
*South-east Asia
*South Africa
*Europe
Pathways 	Pathways
Pet trade 	Pet trade
Impacts 	Impacts
Outcompeting natives for food
Crossbreeding with native species
Predation of native species	
Outcompeting natives for food
Crossbreeding with native species
Predation of native species
Removal Methods 	Removal Methods
Trapping
Hunting
Removal of Eggs	
Trapping
Hunting
Removal of Eggs
The pond slider (Trachemys scripta) is a species of freshwater terrapin native to the USA. The red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) is a subspecies of this species which is kept as a pet and is often used to refer to the species as a whole.
==Range==
===Native Range===
The pond slider is native to the USA's Mississippi River Basin in the states of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, south and west Indiana, south Ohio, western West Virginia, Alabama, the Florida Panhandle, Georgia, South Carolina and eastern North Carolina. It can also be found in north-east Mexico. [1]
===Introduced Range===
Within the USA, the pond slider has been introduced to the west coast, central Arizona, central-south New Mexico, west and south-east Michigan, the east coast and Florida. Off the mainland, it has also been introduced to the Hawaiian islands of Hawaii Island, Oahu and Kaua'i and Puerto Rico. [2] It is also present in the Canadian state of British Columbia [3] , as well as Bermuda. [4]
In Central America, the pond slider has been introduced to the Bahamas, the British Virgin islands, the Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, Gaudaloupe, Martinique, Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobego. On the mainland, it can also be found in Costa Rica and Panama. [3]
Within South America, this terrapin is present in Brazil, Guyana and Chile. [3]
In Oceania and Australasia, the pond slider has become established in the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland, as well as New Zealand, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, New Caledonia and French Polynesia. [3]
The pond slider's Asian range spreads through Japan (including the Ryukyu Peninsula), Taiwan (where it is now the second most common turtle species^), North Korea (DRP Korea), South Korea (RoK), parts of China, including Hong Kong, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia (Kalimantan and Sulawesi). It is also present in Bahrain and Israel. [3]
In Africa, the pond slider has been released into South Africa, Réunion and the Canary Islands. [3]
In Europe, this species is established in Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany,  Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Belgium, France, Spain (including the balearic Islands and Gibraltar) and the UK. [3]
==Pathways and Introduction==
The pond slider, especially one particular subspecies, the red-eared slider, has been available as a pet since the early 20th Century. Owners often underestimate the size and demands of the terrapins and release the animals when they become too troublesome to look after. [5]
==Impacts==
Pond sliders can be aggressive and larger than native turtles. They can outcompete native species filling similar niches by bullying them away from food. They can also outcompete closely-related species, such as painted turtles, for mates and interbreed with them. [5]
Invasive pond sliders also eat native species, such as the Bermuda killifish. [4]
Pond sliders also outcompete smaller native species for egg-laying sites and basking places. [3]
==Control and Removal Methods==
Invasive pond slider populations are controlled and remove through the use of trapping, hunting and the collection of eggs. [5]
Banning of the trade of this species in the US has had little effect. In fact, the trade of other, potentially more invasive species became more common. [3]
==Sources==
1 Carnivora Forum
2 United States Geological Survey Nonindeginous Aquatic Species
3 Invasive Species Compendium
4 Bermuda Zoological Society
5 Introduced Species Summary Project
Category:Animals
Category:Reptiles
Category:Testudines
Category:USA
Category:Hawaii (US)
Category:Puerto Rico
Category:Canada
Category:Bermuda
Category:Bahamas
Category:British Virgin Islands
Category:Cayman Islands
Category:Dominican Republic
Category:Guadaloupe
Category:Martinique
Category:Saint Lucia
Category:Trinidad and Tobego
Category:Costa Rica
Category:Panama
Category:Brazil
Category:Guyana
Category:Chile
Category:Australia
Category:New Zealand
Category:Guam
Category:Northern Mariana Islands
Category:New Caledonia
Category:French Polynesia
Category:Japan
Category:Taiwan
Category:North Korea
Category:South Korea
Category:China
Category:Vietnam
Category:Cambodia
Category:Thailand
Category:Phillipines
Category:Malaysia
Category:Singapore
Category:Indonesia
Category:Bahrain
Category:Israel
Category:South Africa
Category:Reunion
Category:Canary Islands
Category:Finland
Category:Latvia
Category:Lithuania
Category:Poland
Category:Hungary
Category:Czech Republic
Category:Austria
Category:Germany
Category:Italy
Category:Sweden
Category:Denmark
Category:Switzerland
Category:Belgium
Category:France
Category:Spain
Category:UK
Category:Gibraltar
Category:Hong Kong
Category:Federated States of Micronesia