06/07/2026
LONG POST about our NEW EXHIBIT.
Red Eared Sliders (RES) and other similar species of aquatic turtles come in to us all the time and the financial burden is enormous. The RES is the most common turtle species bred in the world and is considered the top “100 WORST invasive species” globally as they have established breeding populations on every continent except Antarctica. We are currently finding adult RES in Maine lakes (due to being released) where they can outcompete our native species due to their highly aggressive feeding habits for vital food supplies and optimal basking sites. As of this moment, there has been no official confirmation of breeding or finding babies in Maine lakes, but it is a matter of time. Red-eared sliders typically lay their eggs earlier in the season than native species do and this helps local predators to find and raid nests, which causes native turtle nests to be eaten as soon as they are laid.
Being sold in the 1960’s and 1970’s as little babies and as disposable pets, people bought them in the millions with a vast majority of them dying in less than a year (hence disposable) even though, with proper conditions, the life span of these turtles is 20-40+ years.
The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIF&W) decided in 2010 to no longer allow the sales of RES in Maine pet stores and by 2017, RES were made a “prohibited species” (along with 3 other species) and this meant no one could “own, trade, sell, buy or release” RES. This left the question that I asked, “What are people going to do with the ones still out there?” and the state response? “There cannot be that many left out there”. What was never taken in to account was their lack of public education and that we live in an online world where everything is shipped to your doorstep, including baby RES. Since 2019, the removed the “prohibited” status and made them a Tier 1 restricted species that requires a permit, again lack of public education.
They are known carriers of various parasites and diseases, which can spread and devastate indigenous aquatic ecosystems as they are native to the south-central U.S., primarily the Mississippi River basin (spanning as far east as West Virginia and down into Texas) and are found as far north as Michigan and Ohio.
Since 2017, we have relocated (and stopped counting) over 500 turtles out of the State of Maine at our expense, to prevent euthanasia and they end up at nature centers, schools and other educational institutions to live out their lives. This is getting more difficult as the years go by as more states are restricting them.
The task of educating and relocating has unofficially become ours, as the MDIF&W sends every single one they know of to us, claiming they do not have the resources or funding to handle the very issue they created but somehow, we do? No. No we do not.
For many years we have kept them out of sight in our back room but we have now moved them out to the display floor for all to see and make you aware that turtles DO NOT MAKE GOOD PETS FOR CHILDREN!You will see large numbers of these turtles, then our turtle pond may be empty but no matter what, it will always refill with more turtles. After all in 2010-sales stop in stores. 2017-they become prohibited and here we are sixteen years later in 2026-still taking them in.
This is why your support is CRITICAL. We need you to visit the Education Center and tell your friends to visit us, to financially donate, share our stories, post and mission on all platforms of social media to help us protect Maine ecosystem and prevent the release of exotic species- Maine Woods, Maine Waters, Maine Animals - It is that Simple.
We cannot do it without you!
https://linktr.ee/mrdrewandhisanimalstoo
Peace and Love in these WILD Times!
