Customs sleuths at Chennai airport seized nearly 5,000 red-eared slider turtles smuggled from Malaysia and arrested two flyers and a receiver. Based on specific intelligence, the Air Intelligence team intercepted two men who arrived from Kuala Lumpur and found 4,967 small green turtles and 19 pale/yellow turtles.
Source: The Times of India
About Red-eared slider turtle:
It is native to the southeastern USA and Mexico.
It is a semi-aquatic turtle from fresh and brackish water ecosystems.
It spends the majority of its time either in the water foraging or basking on rocks and logs.
It is considered one of the world’s 100 worst invasive non-native species.
Appearance
It is known for its distinct red stripes behind each ear.
It varies in colour from dark green to brown, with yellowish ribbons all over their green bodies and along the edge of their dark olive-green shell.
In the wild, it can live from 20 to 50 years.
It is fed mainly on plants and small animals, such as crickets and fish etc.
Its IUCN Red List status is Least Concern.
Invasive species:
These refer to non-native organisms that are introduced into an ecosystem and have the potential to cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health.
These species often outcompete native species and disrupt the natural balance of ecosystems
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