Residents urged not to dump unwanted pets at Virginia reserve
A local animal rescuer has said people often do not understand how they could impact adversely on the environment.
A DURBAN North resident has expressed his dismay after finding a red-eared slider turtle in one of the Virginia Nature Reserve ponds last week. Tyrone Ping, said he found the slider, also known as a red-eared terrapin which is a semi-aquatic turtle, swimming in the pond. This is the second of the species he has spotted at the reserve and believes people are dumping unwanted pets in the reserve without realising the potential damage to the ecosystem.
Last year, a group of volunteers, began cleaning the ponds on a weekly basis clearing them of water lettuce or Pistia stratiotes (Araceae). The floating plant commonly forms large infestations which negatively impact the native environment as well as the fish and turtles.
While clearing the ponds, the groups also found invasive species of fish which were possibly dumped in the ponds.
Read also: Litter boom installed across Ohlanga river
Ping said often people did not understand how one simple act could impact adversely on the environment.
“These terrapins are native to the south eastern United States and was likely dumped into the ponds when it becomes too much to look after or lost its appeal. I urge anyone with exotic reptiles/birds/fish please don’t dump these animals back ‘into the wild’. They are not wild animals and many simply land up dying or worse become established in our native environments which can cause a huge ecological mess.
“This is not something you should find in the local nature reserve in Durban North. These terrapins are population pets across the world and were easily available illegally here in South Africa for – they are now blacklisted as an invasive species. Often these cute terrapins are sold at pet stores at around the size of a R5 coin and when becoming too large or the owners lose interest are simply dumped into local ponds/rivers causing a huge problem for the local indigenous wildlife. They seem to adapt extremely well and will eat just about anything, from small frogs, tadpoles, fish, and any small animals they can overpower and feed on,” he said.
Read also: Free snake chart to help residents with information
For more from Northglen News follow us on Facebook or Twitter. You can also follow us on Instagram
