What is Mexican Giant Turtle?

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About Mexican Giant Turtle:

Mexican Giant Turtle, also called the Red Eared Slider, is the most destructive among the seven turtle species found in the world.
It is considered as one of the world’s 100 worst invasive non-native species.
Scientific Name: Trachemys scripta elegans
Distribution: They are native to the south-eastern USA and Mexico but have found their way across the globe, including India, through the trade of exotic animals.
Habitat:
- It occurs in a wide variety of aquatic habitats, but it prefers a mud bottom, plenty of aquatic plants, and abundant basking sites.
- It lives in both natural waters (including rivers, sloughs, and oxbow lakes) and human-made waters (such as ditches, ponds, and reservoirs).
Features:
- It is known for its bright red circular or oblong spots near its ears.
- The carapace (upper shell) is olive-brown with numerous black and yellow lines.
- The exposed skin is dark green with narrow black and yellow lines.
- It is primarily aquatic and will emerge from the water for basking on rocks and logs.
- Average Life Span: 20 to 30 years.

Q1) What is an Invasive species?

An invasive species is an organism that is not indigenous, or native, to a particular area. Invasive species can cause great economic and environmental harm to the new area.

Source: Red-Eared Slider Turtle Native to South America Discovered in Bengal, Raises Environmental Concerns