No REST for the wicked
- A large female REST. Note the red stripe behind the eye, and the fine yellow stripes on head and neck. The head is retracted straight back into the shell.
If ever there were an animal with potential to piggyback a disease or parasite into Australia, the Red-eared Slider Turtle (REST) is it.
The World Conservation Union classifies REST as one of the worlds 100 most invasive species, and a national risk assessment concludes that the risk that this species will become established in Australia is extreme.
If you have a slider, or if you find a slider, it must be handed in to Biosecurity Queensland or pest management officers from your local council. If you sight a slider, Biosecurity staff will visit the area and try to confirm whether the animal you have seen is a slider. If it is, we’ll try to recover it. Ring the Red-eared Slider Turtle Project Manager on 0428 240 015 or call 13 25 23.
Find out more about the risks from the Red-eared Slider Turtle.
