A new invasive species was spotted in southern Boston, which are two Chinese marsh turtles with soft shells and are commonly bred in Asia as a delicacy. Biologists are now concerned that these exotic creatures can disturb indigenous ecosystems if their population becomes established across northeastern New England.
According to researchers from the New England Aquarium, these turtles were probably released into the wild after someone bought them for cooking. Experts are now warning people not to set free non native animals and to immediately report if anyone spots these soft shelled turtles.
Locals on Wollaston Beach in Quincy spotted a turtle digging into some sand this week as researchers of the marine animal rescue team from the Aquarium collected the animal from the beach for further identification. Later in the week, there was also a second sighting of the Chinese marsh turtle.
According to zoologist Nigella Hillgarth who is also the president of the New England Aquarium, this urgency comes from the fact that when these turtles establish their population here, they can actually survive the winter. These turtles might seem harmless but they can cause drastic changes in the ecosystem. The local animals are not adapted to this larger predator as they can prey on large amounts of smaller fish, clams, mussels and insects.
These turtles are commonly found in brackish waters and marshes especially in east Asia. In China, the turtles are already considered as endangered in the wild but more than 300 million of them are raised in farms every year. Apparently, these turtles are already considered as an invasive species in the Philippines and even established themselves in Hawaii, California and Virginia. Some of them were spotted in Maryland and New York.
Hillgarth adds that these soft-shelled turtles look extraordinary compared to others as they possess a greenish brown leathery shell and measures about seven to 15 inches long. She adds that its remarkable long neck can extend with its long snout similar to a little periscope from the water, allowing it to breathe. Its pointy face is so unique that anyone who spots this turtle will immediately realize it is something very different.