Tierplage(n)

....ob ich jetzt hier noch etwas zu den Schildkroeten in Perth hier reinschreiben sollte? Das staendige Umbenennen macht mich ja ganz konfus... Das ist ein echt lustiger Thread loooool

Klar doch, wenn's 'ne Plage ist immer her damit

LG
Ela

...sind zwar keine Katzen, aber wer weiss...vielleicht fressen die welche

Gestern in The West Australian:

Fears aggressive turtle species could threaten native wildlife in parks

Wildlife officials are concerned that an aggressive American turtle species could wipe out native breeds if allowed to live and breed unchecked in Perth parks.

A red-eared slider turtle was spotted in Hyde Park in the Town of Vincent recently, sparking fears that if left unchecked they could become as big a pest as in Queensland, where the State Government has embarked on a multi-million-dollar eradication program.

The council erected signs in Hyde Park and nearby Smith’s Lake yesterday to warn about the red-eared slider, which is in Australia.

Town of Vincent parks co-ordinator Ian Ellies said visitors to the park had been asked to watch out for the intruders.

The signs show how to identify the distinctive species, which has a domed back and prominent red and yellow markings on its flesh.

Red-eared sliders pose a big risk to native species such as the long-necked or oblong tortoise, which is also found in Perth’s parks and lakes.

“They outcompete native species and can also carry diseases,” WA Department of Environment and Conservation regional wildlife officer Daniel Hunter said.

He said red-eared sliders found in parks were probably dumped by people keeping them as illegal pets after finding the creatures too much of a handful.

“It is illegal to have them in Australia,” he said.

Unlike other exotic pets, there is no significant black-market trade in the turtles because they can be easily picked up in the wild in Queensland and brought to WA.

Mr Hunter said the turtles did not make ideal pets because they became aggressive as they got older.

The turtles do not pose a significant danger to the public but can kill young waterfowl and compete for food with oblong turtles. Red-eared sliders hunt more aggressively than their native counterparts and breed three times quicker.

MICHAEL HOPKIN