Ability to Respond Total:4 / 25Ability to Respond = ( Ease of Response + Tools in Place )
Confidence:High
Confidence Notes:
Impact
Spread
Notes
Score
Spread Rate
Broad freshwater habitat; typically if human access they are present; fairly pollution tolerant.
4
Spread Amount
Survive well; average 1-5 cluches per year, each clutch contains 2-20 eggs (6-11 is average). Widespread and common in CA; in southern CA, more common than native Western pond turtle.
5
Damage
Notes
Score
Ecological
An omnivorous, voracious predator that may threaten the survival of native animals, consume young game fish, compete with native turtles for food/ nesting/ cover habitat, and transmit parasites and diseases to which native turtles are not immune.
4
Agricultural
0
Infrastructure
0
Cultural
Pet trade; this is common route through which turtles have been introduced into the native habitat in California.
4
Health
Disease - salmonella is an issue and smaller turtles are outlawed in CA because of this issue.
1
Benefit
Notes
Score
Ecological
0
Agricultural
0
Infrastructure
0
Cultural
Popular stew meat.
1
Health
0
Total
17
Ability to Respond
Ease of Response
Notes
Score
Detection
Visual and trapping surveys.
3
Control
Removal of individuals through trapping and draining of the infested water body.
1
Tools in Place
Notes
Score
Entry
High volume in pet trade, introductions to wild are believed unwanted pets that have been dropped off.
0
Control
Badly needed in shrinking riparian habitat in California.
0
Outreach
Low awareness of CA public. Herp trade releases likely cause of current CA populations.
