I can safely state that I have never seen a frog-catching net until last weekend, when I had the delight of searching for some frogs as part of the reptile and amphibian group. While, unfortunately, the little hoppers were too clever for us, we managed to spot a few brave (and rather arrogant) turtles sunbathing on rocks.
Thinking these were turtles indigenous to the lake, I admired the red-markings on the sides of their heads and their dark shells. Yet, beneath the beauty lurked a slight threat. These are Red-eared Sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans) commonly found in pet stores across the States, and even more interestingly enough, originating from the midwestern/ southern region within our own country. The Sliders are considered an invasive species in New York, taking over much of the lake via their advantages of lower maturity age and larger body size. They are also one of the rare instances of an invasive species originating from the same country and migrating simply to another region. Unlike other invasive species that may have attached themselves to boats (as in plants), or have been brought over intentionally by humans, many of the red-eared sliders found in Alley Pond Park were the result of owners releasing their pet turtles into the wild. I find this phenomenon intriguing, as many pets are unable to survive and reproduce when released into the wild—take the Australian Shell Parakeet for example that originates in Australia—upon release many die due to unfavorable climate/ inability to find food.
Don't be fooled by this little critter…these red-eared sliders are invasive, and this little one carries Salmonella?! #bioblitz17 #bcsfh20 pic.twitter.com/NqGAfOHi1V
— Priyanka Algu (@priyaKa98) September 12, 2017
In class, we discussed the ways in which interactions occur on the food web, but we didn’t delve too heavily into the implications of what an invasive species might have the capability to do. While the red-eared slider is not necessarily the most aggressive animal, I found it interesting that simply their way of living/ maturing/ feeding has made a profound impact on the lake. So much so that at that time of the day (around noon), we were unable to find any of the indigenous turtles in the area. As secondary producers in a rather sheltered environment, these Red Ear Sliders are not exposed to many predators either—allowing their population to grow exponentially. This was an eye-opening experience for me, especially considering that although we consider ourselves removed from the food chain, there are still many ways that we can change or affect the process.
