What is Mexican Giant Turtle?

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