This red-eared terrapin turtle was also found where it shouldn’t be. It appeared at the Fretex warehouse at Alnabru in 2005. Photo: Jørgen Braastad / VG
Several unwanted turtles have been found in Lågen in Larvik. The animals probably come from aquariums, but do well in Norwegian nature.
Wednesday 27 March at 11:01 p.m
The turtles are a North American species, and they have probably been released into the tributaries, says Nils-Olav Gjone, who is responsible for disease preparedness in the Numedalslågen Management Team.
– They have spread into the tributaries as well. It is difficult to say how many there are, Gjone adds Østlands-Posten.
The species is the red-eared terrapin, which is carnivorous and can take both birds, eggs and fish. Gjone believes the number of observations now indicates that these turtles have established themselves.
– Now, together with the Veterinary Institute and the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, we have to make a decision on what to do. We use a lot of resources to remove unwanted species in other waters, and this is a demanding job, he says.
The species is popular in aquariums and is therefore spread to several parts of the world. In many places it has displaced native species. According to Store norske lexikon, it is found in nature in many places in Sweden and Denmark.
The red-eared terrapin is prohibited from being imported into the EU, and it is not allowed as a hobby animal in Norway.