Species guide
Red-eared slider
HarmlessTrachemys scripta
How to recognise it
A smooth-shelled pond turtle, olive-green with thin yellow stripes and a distinctive red or orange patch just behind each eye. Often seen basking on logs.
Is it dangerous?
Harmless, but carries Salmonella — wash hands after handling. Released pets have become a widespread invasive worldwide.
What to do
Never release a pet turtle into the wild; wash your hands after contact.
Recorded 243,660 times in the wild worldwide.
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