ANJEC Awards SOEC Grant to Deal with Invasive Turtles

After years of decline in both appearance and health, our local duck pond has finally gotten some attention by way of community clean up and has noticeably improved. Two new fountains are helping to oxygenate the water. The South Orange Environmental Commission has focused our freshly inspired community energy on optimizing the space for native species, in part, by removing the things that get in the way of a thriving, native ecosystem, tackling first: invasive species. Last year, The Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC) awarded the commission with a monetary grant to help with this effort.

The South Orange Duck Pond has four regularly appearing species of turtles. The invasive Red-Eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans), the non-native Yellow-Bellied Slider (Trachemys scripta scripta), and two native turtles: The Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina), and, rarely, the Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina). Several other species are expected but have not yet been reported: The Eastern Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta picta), The Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata), and The Common Musk Turtle (Sternotherus odoratus), and possibly even the Eastern Mud Turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum subrubrum). On the Global Invasive Species Database List of 100 Worst Invasive Species is our pond’s most populated turtle, the Red-Eared Slider.

In repeated studies, Red-Eared Sliders have proven to out-compete native turtles in all basic need areas: breeding (laying eggs earlier, triggering predators to start the hunt for the native eggs laid a month later), food, shelter, and landing the first choice, crucial basking locations. Invasive turtles can introduce parasites and diseases to which native species have no history of immunity. Outside of their effect on other turtles, they can destroy the spawning beds of our native pumpkin seed sunfish. Reducing the number of red-eared sliders gives these other species a chance.

The Commission looked into “catch and sterilize” as an option with our local veterinary offices, as we do with our feral cat communities. The procedure is not only prohibitively expensive, but dangerous for the turtles. In removal efforts, other states like California and Oregon within the U.S. have trapped and euthanized the majority of the invasive red-eared slider turtles. While we understand that approach scientifically, we decided to try a slightly different tactic.

Our original plan was to launch a dynamic, media campaign to inspire local schools and households to provide new, domestic homes for these turtles, humanely catch them, and then rehome them. While they are damaging to our local ecosystem, they thrive in aquarium settings and contained, private ponds. However, the majority of private homes cannot maintain an appropriately-sized aquarium. Turtle owners, weighing the options, think they are choosing the humane path by releasing the turtle into the wild. The Red-Eared Slider population in the Meadowland Pond is likely the direct result of a pet release. While it may seem the more humane option than euthanasia, releasing a pet Red-Eared Slider into a NJ waterway puts at further risk our native turtle community, some of which are listed as “state threatened” and others as “state endangered.”

We altered the plan to involve our South Orange Public Library, who has enthusiastically accepted our proposal to rehome two female Red-Eared sliders in a custom aquarium affixed with a clever education campaign about the impact of invasive species on an ecosystem. It will also offer a platform for the study of proper nutrition, general health, and first hand engagement with nature. Once they have the set up and information they need, we will manually remove two red-eared sliders (prioritizing females to prevent breeding as efficiently as possible) and bring them to their new home.

The docile, curious nature of the Red-Eared slider makes it ideal for an engaging library setting. Two turtles of the same gender will happily co-habitate in a tank this size. Our library is uniquely equipped for turtle care as their fish aquarium already regularly brings in a maintenance person to clean the tank and make sure everything is up to grade A standard.

The COVID-19 closures have put a delay on our advancement of this project. We’re hoping to restart in Fall of 2020 and that will kick off our fundraising campaign to supplement the ANJEC funding.

REMINDER REGARDING WILDLIFE!
Please remember that when you’re visiting the Meadowland Pond by South Orange Middle School or any of our parks, fishing and removing wildlife from the pond, river, or park is prohibited under Code 220-27.
 
220-27 Protecting Of Wild Animals, Birds And Fish 
No person shall within any park or recreational area: 
1. Hunt, molest, harm, frighten, kill, trap, chase, tease, shoot or throw missiles at any animal or bird. 
2. Remove or have in his possession the young of any wild animal or the eggs or nest of birds. 
3. Fish for, seine, catch or take from the waters situated in any park or recreational area and fish of any type whatsoever. 
Bread and “human food” are not something our birds and turtles naturally encounter and they can “spoil” the healthy meals that nature provides.  Please do not feed them at all.

If you suspect that an animal is injured or in danger, please call the police at
(973) 378-7799 who will route the report to the proper person or Department.