Invasive turtles on the move in Vinalopó River
Environmentalists trap nine unwanted newcomers while native population thrives
Good news for wildlife watchers along the Vinalopó River: the native turtle population is growing steadily despite the challenges. Acción Ecologista Agró's 'Emys' project team has just finished their second year of monitoring in Elche, and they've found around thirty native Mauremys turtles making themselves at home in the riverbed.Environmentalists are thrilled with the "significant growth" in these local species, including a stable group of European pond turtles. The river might be affected by human activity, but it remains a vital refuge for creatures like grass snakes and European eels too. The team set up floating traps during their latest visit and released the native finds right back into the water after a quick ID check.
Of the 39 turtles they identified overall, 25 were brand new captures (19 males and six females), while 14 were return visitors from last year's survey. This marks the second consecutive year, spanning 2024 and 2025, that the project has tracked these animals in the area.
The team also scooped out nine invasive exotic turtles that don't belong here. Eight were Florida turtles (Trachemys scripta), popular as pets but trouble in the wild, and one was a false map turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica). All nine have been safely relocated to Alicante's Santa Faz Wildlife Recovery Center to keep the river balanced.
This is the second year in a row the 'Emys' project has run these checks in Elche, capturing 25 new turtles among the total of 39 identified. The traps also spotted native grass snakes (Natrix maura) and a European eel (Anguilla anguilla), all released after identification.
You might also be interested in: Spain drafts emergency plan to protect dolphins, turtles and birds caught in Murcia fishing nets
Image: wikicommons
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