Turtle is the most well-known reptile and can easily recognized for their slow movement on the land. The familiar one is Red-Eared Slider, which is semi aquatic turtle that have peculiar characters on their head.
We bet most of you already know this type of turtle, it easily can be found almost everywhere in our planet! – Check out this article for falling in love with them deeper!
Recognizable Appearance
Most easily clue come from the name! The Red-Eared Slider, like its name, has a small red stripe around its ear. While the nickname “Slider” is given because of its ability to slide quickly from rocks and into the water!
Can grow to a length of 15-20 cm, female turtles are larger than males and can weigh up to 3kg. They also have a strong shell with webbed feet that helps them to slide or swim.
Even though they have a calm and harmless temperament, you still have to be careful because they are territorial by nature.
The Most Invasive Turtle in the World
Originally come from the warm climates of South America and northern Mexico, this turtle now can easily found across the world. In the wild, they inhabit swamp areas with warm and calm water such as lakes and creeks.
Because of how easy to care for them, this turtle is getting popular as a pet! However, that makes Red-Eared Slider become the most invasive turtle in the world. It will cause the negative impacts in the ecosystems they occupy because of their certain advantages over the native populations.
Are they Hibernating?
The answer is, No, reptile likes turtle don’t hibernate like most other animals. Instead, they do brumate or remain dormant for 1 to 8 months depending on the climate, health and size of the turtle.
Sexual Dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is the condition where the sexes of same species exhibit different characteristics, particularly not directly involved in reproduction. This condition happened with Red-Eared Slider as well! A young one look practically identical regardless of their sex, making distinguishing them difficult.
While distinguish the adults is much easier, as the shells of mature males are smaller than those of females. Males have longer claws on their front feet than the females, and their tails are thicker and longer.
According to the IUCN, The Red-Eared Slider is in the list of the world’s 100 most invasive species. In order to maintain the stability of the survival of these animals, we must be wise in the continuity of caring them. Feel free to meet them around Bali Safari Park!
