[NatureNS] downtown Dartmouth's Red-eared Slider captured...

From: "Dusan Soudek" <soudekd@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: "NatureNS" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Cc: "Greg Stevens" <stevensg@dfo-mpo.gc.ca>,
Date: Wed, 21 Sep 2011 19:23:32 -0300
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <naturens-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/Environment/FNSN/MList; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

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   This afternoon, on the way from work, I finally succeeded in =
capturing the "Sawmill River" Red-eared Slider, a.k.a. Red-eared Turtle, =
native to the Southern U.S.A. Apparently it had been released by someone =
with a connection to the nearby Marine House, the regional headquarters =
of DFO.
   I reported my sightings of the exotic turtle here in August. DNR and =
John Gilhen of the Nova Scotia Museum of Nature were concerned, as this =
species has the potential to establish itself in the wild in Southern =
Canada, as may have already happened near Hamilton, Ontario. It tends to =
outcompete the native Eastern Painted Turtle. Local DNR staff were =
planning to capture it.
   In August I could locate the reptile only during sunny afternoons, =
when it sunned itself on a slanted slab of concrete near the downstream =
end of the long culvert that drains "Sawmill River" from Sullivans Pond =
to Dartmouth Cove. But I haven't seen it for weeks, and assumed that it =
either moved away or that DNR succeeded in capturing it.
   This afternoon it was sunny, the tide was out, and there was minimal =
flow in the downtown stream, with excellent visibility in the pool below =
the culvert's end. The turtle was sunning itself again, but this time at =
a slightly different location. I failed to catch the turtle while it was =
still out of water, but had no problem picking it up from the mud at the =
bottom of the knee-deep pool in the stream.
   Right now the turtle is in a plastic tub at my house. It looks =
healthy, as it is quite active. I have no interest in keeping it, but am =
willing to give it to anyone willing and able to look after it. =
Otherwise I will contact DNR to have it picked up. In which case the =
Red-eared Turtle will likely end up in the Shubenacadie Wildlife Park.
   Dusan Soudek
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<DIV><FONT size=3D4>&nbsp;&nbsp; This afternoon, on the way from work, I =
finally=20
succeeded in capturing the "Sawmill River" Red-eared Slider, a.k.a. =
Red-eared=20
Turtle, native to the Southern U.S.A. Apparently it had been released by =
someone=20
with a connection to the nearby Marine House, the regional headquarters =
of=20
DFO.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D4>&nbsp;&nbsp; I reported my sightings of the exotic =
turtle here=20
in August. DNR and John Gilhen of the Nova Scotia Museum of Nature were=20
concerned, as this species has the potential to establish itself in the =
wild in=20
Southern Canada, as may have already happened near Hamilton, Ontario. It =
tends=20
to outcompete the native Eastern Painted Turtle. Local DNR staff were =
planning=20
to capture it.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D4>&nbsp;&nbsp; In August I&nbsp;could locate the =
reptile only=20
during sunny afternoons, when it sunned itself on a slanted slab of =
concrete=20
near the downstream end of the long culvert that drains "Sawmill River" =
from=20
Sullivans Pond to Dartmouth Cove. But&nbsp;I haven't seen it for weeks, =
and=20
assumed that it either moved away or that DNR succeeded in capturing=20
it.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D4>&nbsp;&nbsp; This afternoon it was sunny, the tide =
was out,=20
and there was minimal flow in the downtown stream, with excellent =
visibility in=20
the pool below the culvert's end. The turtle was sunning itself again, =
but this=20
time at a slightly different location. I failed to catch the turtle =
while it was=20
still&nbsp;out of water, but had no problem picking it up from the mud =
at the=20
bottom of the knee-deep pool&nbsp;in the stream.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D4>&nbsp;&nbsp; Right now the turtle is in a plastic =
tub at my=20
house. It looks healthy, as it is quite active. I have no interest in =
keeping=20
it, but am willing to give it to anyone willing and able to look after =
it.=20
Otherwise&nbsp;I will contact DNR to have it picked up. In which case =
the=20
Red-eared Turtle will likely end up in the Shubenacadie Wildlife=20
Park.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D4>&nbsp;&nbsp; Dusan Soudek</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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