US Aquatic life experts worry of invasive turtle from Asia

Two new soft-shell turtles have been found in Boston that are raised for food in the Asian countries. How they landed here is still a question, but apparently, these turtles with unusually long snouts and pointy faces can disrupt the ecosystem in the northeastern New England. If successful in creating a fleet of hundreds or thousands of turtles, these Asian creatures can eat a large amount of fish, mussels and insects.

Initial reports suggest that someone must have brought them home for cooking, then released in the wild. Authorities are now requesting the residentials to avoid releasing such turtles out in the environment.

The first turtle was observed digging in the sand at the Wollaston Beach in Quincy, later the same type of turtle was found in another location. Aquarium’s Marine Animal Rescue team picked both of them for the inspection, and it was found that these turtles belong to the Asian countries and have a potential to survive even in the winters.

Nigella Hillgarth, the New England Aquarium’s president and CEO, and a zoologist, said that these turtles can easily survive our winters and can cause significant damage to the ecosystem. Once established, these big predators can eat a lot of fishes, mussels, clams and insects.

Apart from this, these turtles have commonly been found in the salt ponds of the Eastern Asia, and also they have been declared endangered in China. However, millions of such turtles are being farmed for food in the same country.

Apart from this, there have been many sightings of these turtles in the Hawaii, California, Virginia, New York and Maryland. It is apparently very easy to spot them as well; they are shy green or brown colored turtles with a size of seven to five inches. Often they are found all covered in the mud to protect themselves from the predators; also they have a sharp beak that can bite the blood out the fingers.

Not only this, but a recent import of Salamander from China was also found deadly for those living in America. Many people like them as a pet, however, they carry a particular form of fungus that after getting in contact of the American salamander can turn the weak animal nothing but pulp.

In just seven days, the fungus turns the living organism into a slime.