Day 234: On a previous trip to Lake St. Clair, I spotted three turtles basking on adjacent logs in the southeast arm of the lake near the shore of a small island. They were rather shy, and it was only with great difficulty that I was able to maneuver close enough to them to get a photo showing enough detail for an identification. The red marking on the head told me that they were Pond Sliders (Trachemys scripta), an introduced species. In searching for more information about them, I discovered that they are not considered invasive, due to the fact that before their numbers reach a stage where they out-compete natives, large die-offs keep the population in check. It has been suggested that the species is not suited to Washington's climate. At this time, there is no plan in place to remove them from Washington waters; however, WDFW requests reports of any sightings (particularly of nesting females) so that they can monitor any issues which may arise. Two days ago, I again spotted all three in the same location, making me wonder if they were "pets" released from captivity by someone living on the near shore.
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