Red eared sliders wild in T.O.

CuttsCustoms · 02-04-05, 10:20 PM

I just read recently that redeared sliders have adapted enough to hibernate through our winters and are sucessfully breeding in Ontario. I find it fascinating and would love to know the ponds/lakes they can be found in. I know they naturally can be found up to lake michagan but its amazing they can survive up here.

Ps. i don't not want more I have to happy red ears just wanna see them...

marisa · 02-04-05, 10:23 PM

I am fairly certain there are some RES in a pond at a local conservation area near me. It's difficult to get close to the turtles because they take off, but I have seen more than one species basking at this pond (there are only a couple floating logs, and all the turtles hang out there consistantly each year) and I pretty sure one of them was RES.

Marisa

Shad0w · 02-04-05, 10:24 PM

Ive caught 2 in the wild right here in the mississauga area... I imagine they were released by people that had them as pets...

CuttsCustoms · 02-04-05, 10:30 PM

To bad there isn't a way to tell if there new or old releases. is anyone doind a study. What about tagging them and then seeing if they come up in the spring. alien speices have always fascinated me. well on the topic are there any other non native herps that breed here?

Shad0w · 02-04-05, 10:34 PM

Correction.. Ive caught 3...
2 being in the credit river system, and 1 in a friends pool that backs on to rattray marsh

Ciddian · 02-04-05, 10:51 PM

I've seen them in a small fenced in pond at Kennedy Commons. Just past Rona on your right side, driving away from progress on that little rd that cuts in between the strip mall type place.

I just adore turtles.

I always feel sorry for the red ears because of them being dumped all the time. Geeze...nice to know they are ok but i hope it doesnt harm our own populations.
I wonder if its hard being a turtle in the wild...

meow_mix450 · 02-04-05, 10:54 PM

umm the toronto zoo has been doing a project with the RES turtles and tracting them down. Well I believe there RES turtles it could be another speices I forget, saw it on TV

Meow

Manitoban Herps · 02-07-05, 05:46 PM

I beleive they have been found in the Red River in Manitoba too.

Holy Mackerel · 02-07-05, 09:12 PM

The RES firstly being in Ontario (wild) is a bad thing, and if they are successfully overwintering and breeding it is that much worse. We in Ontario have very few native turtle species. Those that we do have are in immense trouble. The introduction of an alien species if rarely beneficial for the natural environment. From what I know RES are aggressive eaters, and I fear the risk they are putting on our native turtles. Even the smallest reduction in many of the native turtle populations could be disasterous.

It is horrible to think that people would be so irresponsible to release these turtles into the Ontario or Candian wild.

Steve

Tim and Julie B · 02-07-05, 09:31 PM

I have heard they have been seen around here as well. Although our Native Western painted does look similar. People always get those cute little turtles at the pet store then dump them when they get big. It's sad.

spidergecko · 02-07-05, 10:11 PM

I gave a RES to a girlfriend about 15 years ago. She let it go in the ravine and I was furious. I wonder if it's still alive.

marisa · 02-07-05, 10:26 PM

So honestly. What would a good idea be if someone found a wild RES for some reason? Keep it in captivity if they are a herper?

Not being a smart ***..

I am curious as how that problem could be solved because you are right, that's a bad thing.

Marisa

Ontario_herper · 02-07-05, 10:57 PM

Catching "wild" RES's would be beneficial to their native counterparts. Just be sure that what you are going after is indeed a RES.

The tricky part is what to do with these sliders. I know I personally wouldn't want to keep one. Turtle soup anyone?

Shad0w · 02-08-05, 12:07 AM

Well,

I can tell ya what I did with two of the ones I caught in the wild...
I kept both a male and female as pets (no intention of breeding)
I really dont think the ones I caught were in the wild too long as they really had no fear of me at all.

Holy Mackerel · 02-08-05, 12:29 AM

Hi Marissa,

Unfortunatly RES can be found anywhere from Ottawa, to the GTA, to the Carolinian Zone, to the Bruce Peninsula. Although the distubution is wide, it is patchy, and the populations that are set up are quite small.

At this point I can't say with confidence that there is any action being taken. While some RES have been observed to overwinter (even up in the Ottawa area), it's still believed they can't successfully breed (short, cold season for egg development).

CuttsCustoms mentioned reading something saying they can breed as well, but I havn't come across anything yet (if it's available, it would be great to see).

Like Tim (or Julie) said, they do look very similar to the painted turtle, with the main, and large difference being size. Many of the sightings could very well be erroneous.

As for what individuals can do, I would say not much. There is no protection afforded to the RES in Ontario, so they are up for grabs as pets from the wild. The best people can do is stop releasing them into the wild (which is still occuring as they are still being sold in high numbers in pet stores). Other than that, it's a waiting game to see if they manage to adapt to our environment.

-Steve