Has anyone seen my turtle?

Heidy Kikillus.

A Victoria University PhD student is using the ‘Lost & Found’ section of Trade Me to find pet turtles living in the wild because they can damage native flora and fauna.

PhD student Heidy Kikillus is studying red-eared slider turtles and hoping to minimise the negative effects they have.

“The turtles prey upon native flora and fauna and are voracious eaters. They consume aquatic plants, invertebrates and tadpoles among other things,” says Miss Kikillus.

The turtles are considered an invasive species and can live for a long time. Although estimates vary, the turtles can live for at least 30 years and possibly up to 80 years, in the right conditions.

Miss Kikillus’ research at Victoria’s School of Biological Sciences is focused on determining where populations of the turtles could become established in NZ, and which native species would be impacted.

“I’ve found out that lost turtle reports on Trade Me tend to cluster around cities – particularly Auckland.

“There were 45 lost turtle reports listed in the last 20 months, though many more are likely to go unreported. Since then, some turtles have been found and returned to their owners.

“Using Trade Me to track the turtles is a really exciting development and I hope we can locate their habitats in the wild to protect NZ plants and animals.”

The red-eared slider turtle is a native of Mississippi Valley in America, but wild populations have become established in South Africa, Asia and Europe. The turtles are banned as pets in Australia.

In NZ, the turtles are commonly kept as pets but can become a challenge for owners. A hatchling of five centimetres across will grow to 30 centimetres in two years and require a sizeable aquarium and a dry space to sunbathe.

“Owners who no longer want to keep the turtles as pets often release them into the wild because they believe it is best for them. Others simply get lost, especially if they are kept outside.”

Miss Kikillus is collecting soil temperature readings from around the north of NZ and matching regional conditions to those of the turtles’ native habitat, since overlaps in climate will indicate areas where they could potentially survive.

Turtle eggs require higher soil temperatures for successful incubation than are typically experienced in NZ, but only by a few degrees. Given the right microsite and a warm summer it is possible that eggs could hatch.

Miss Kikillus is also screening captive turtles for diseases which could be transferred to native animals.

She says potential owners should think carefully before choosing a turtle.

“If you already own a turtle and want to re-home it, you can do so responsibly by selling or donating the turtle to a new owner or giving them to a turtle rescue group, contactable through the SPCA.”

She is also interested in hearing from anyone who sees a turtle in the wild so the sighting can be included in her research.