Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)
Personal information
There are three red-eared sliders here at the Seneca Park Zoo. Myrtle was born in 1988 and came here in 1999; Jerry was born in 1990 and came to the Zoo in 2000; Lolita was born in 1995 and arrived here at the Zoo in 2001.
Status in the wild
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List status: Least concern. Humans are the greatest enemy of red-eared sliders. Each year, turtles are harmed; mainly from habitat destruction and pollution.
Habitat
Red-eared sliders are from the southeastern United States as well as in New York State! They can often be found basking on logs or stumps in or near water.
Diet
Adults feed on plant and animal matter. They like to eat snails, tadpoles and fish, as well as duckweed and water lilies.
- The red-eared slider gets its name from the red stripe that can be seen from behind the eyes and extending all the way to the neck.
- These turtles are common pets throughout the world.
- Red-eared sliders are mainly aquatic, but leave the water to bask in the sun and to lay eggs.
- Females can grow to be much larger than males.