Red Eared Turtle

Description:

The red-eared slider, also known as the red-eared terrapin, is a semiaquatic turtle belonging to the family Emydidae. Red-eared sliders get their name from the small red stripe around their ears. The "slider" part of their name comes from their ability to slide off rocks and logs and into the water quickly.

Habitat:

Spotted in a pond at Taman Tasik Perdana park, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is native to the southern United States and northern Mexico, but has become established in other places because of pet releases, and has become an invasive species in many areas, where it outcompetes native species.

Notes:

It is the most popular pet turtle in the United States and is also popular as a pet in the rest of the world. It has, therefore, become the most commonly-traded turtle in the world. The red-eared slider is included in the list of the world's 100 most invasive species published by the IUCN.