Valencia has a problem with exotic turtles

Non-native pets can have a direct impact on urban ecology

The artificial lake in Cabecera Park is the largest water body in the Valencian metropolis. A research conducted on the fauna living in its waters found that it is inhabited by five species of turtles, of which only one is native. It turns out this is a major problem because it causes significant damages to the local ecosystem.

That is why, the Municipality of Valencia has partnered with the Limne Foundation, to carry out a campaign of raising awareness among the citizenry about the dangers of releasing exotic turtles in the city’s waters.

Releasing pet turtles in municipal waters is illegal

Since 2016, municipal park officials have collected more than 500 exotic turtles from the waters of the Cabecera Park lake. The problem with the foreign species is that once released into the environment they start competing with the native turtles and fish and squeeze them out of the access for food resources.

Furthermore, popular pet turtle species, such as the peninsula cooter and the red-eared slider, native to North America, are also potential carriers of the Salmonella bacteria. So, it follows that they pose a risk to human health, too.

“These invasive species are one of the main causes of biodiversity loss on the planet,” said Sergi Campillo, Councillor of Urban Ecology in Valencia. “It is a reflection of the worrying reality of our natural aquatic ecosystems, which are increasingly invaded by specimens of exotic turtles, which go from being a pet to becoming a real problem for the native fauna”.

That is why twice a year for the next two to four years, the Limne non-profit foundation will organize awareness-raising days for the public accompanied by information boards placed near the very lake in question. It is hoped that with these activities pet owners will become more responsible towards the urban ecosystem and will stop abandoning turtles.