The Plight of the Red-Eared Slider: Invasive or Not?

Red-Eared Sliders (RES), scientific name Trachemys Scripta Elegans, are an aquatic turtle species sold as companion animals in Washington State. They are small turtles native to the Mississippi River basin and commonly sold in pet stores. RES have a life span of 20 - 30 years and can reach 13 inches in length.

RES are the most frequently surrendered and abandoned pet turtles in the United States, due to their large adult size, quick rate of growth, and inexpensive sale price. They're also one of the hardest turtles to place for the same reasons. RES are not native so various park systems cannot include them in displays while reptile sanctuaries across the United States are so overwhelmed with this species that they have to turn away surrenders.

When RES are surrendered to a non-sanctuary shelter, they are often in danger of immediate euthanasia. They require a great deal of staff care, shelter space, equipment and other resources, making it difficult for shelters to keep them available for adoption long-term. Moreover, when they are adopted, new owners often do not understand the full demands of care and the animals may be illegally released into the wild where they compete with native species.

Some Washington State shelters have claimed the animal must be euthanized simply because it is deemed an “invasive species” by the State of Washington.

SAW researched this latter claim and it appears to be more complex than at first glance. RES are not native, but they are also not an invasive species. They are “regulated” and, therefore, allowed in Washington State. However, should a regulated species even be allowed for sale as a companion animal when it is so often misunderstood and abandoned? Where is the logic in this?

Here is a Q&A to help clarify the issue.

What is an invasive species?

Invasive species are broadly defined as species not indigenous to a particular area. They can cause great harm to local species and affect entire ecosystems.

Who determines an invasive species?

How does Washington regulate invasive species?

What are the categories of invasive species?

How does all this apply to RES?

The plight of the Red-Eared Slider is an example of the intersection between environmental protection and animal welfare. The issue deserves a broader discussion by environmental advocates, wildlife managers and animal welfare professionals for a more humane and responsible approach. Otherwise, shelter systems and sanctuaries will continue to either euthanize or deny intake, leaving overwhelmed owners to simply release these animals into the wild where they compete with native species. None of these solutions are humane or healthy for the animal or our local ecosystems.

Visit MATTS Turtles site for more information about what to do if you feel you cannot keep your RES.

See the Red-Eared Sliders page in the Global Invasive Species Database for an international perspective on the reptile. North America Invasive is a comprehensive page with all plants, animals, insects and pathogens that are currently identified as invasive.

Author’s comments: both WDFW and WISC could do a better job on clarification of the status of the invaders, the classifications they fall under and the overall interplay between the agencies. For example, RES are “regulated”, but there are three “regulated” classes - A, B and C. WISC does not clarify which animal has which classification. Citizen researchers and scientists would find this topic extremely confusing, which will not help citizens that want to assist with efforts to control invasives.