Trachemys scripta elegans: Evasive and Invasive in Sri Lanka
The increasing population of an invasive species of turtle, the red-eared terrapin in the Diyawanna system as well as other areas of the Western Province poses a threat to native species of terrapins and can result in possible ecological imbalance, says environmentalist and Attorney at Law, Jagath Gunawardana. According to Gunawardana, the spread of this species can be observed in the water systems of the Diyasaru Park, Kimbulawala and Nawala/ Nugegoda areas connecting the Diyawanna system….
Recently, a consignment of red-eared terrapins that reached India from Sri Lanka, was seized by the Indian authorities. In 2017, a similar incident took place, where Indian authorities seized another consignment of 3000 red-eared terrapins from a Sri Lankan passenger.
Reports say that Indians believe these exotic turtles bring good luck and thus they are being smuggled and sold there with a large profit margin. “The fact that these large consignments are being smuggled from Sri Lanka indicates possible breeding of the species for commercial purposes, which in the absence of legal instruments, remains perfectly legal,” Gunawardana says. The new act to control invasive alien species has been drafted but is yet to be presented to the Parliament, he says. At the same time, Gunawardana says experts have made multiple requests to ban the import of the red eared terrapin by issuing an order under the Section 30 of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act, to no avail.
Thus, immediate action is needed on the part of the authorities to ban and control this invasive alien species…
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Photo from Sunday Observer.
