Freshwater Turtle Conservation and Research Facility Opens at Kobe City Aquarium

Suma Aqualife Park Kobe in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, launched "Kirakuen," a facility to conserve and research turtles, on August 7, 2010. It mainly accommodates Red-eared Sliders (called "Midori-game" or green turtle in Japan), a non-native species in Japan. Basic research into their extermination will be conducted at the facility in order to help conserve the native Japanese Pond Turtles.

Red-eared Sliders, which have been imported in large numbers as pets, are often abandoned in rivers or ponds after they have grown. Consequently, they are breeding all over Japan. As the invasion of foreign species seriously affects local ecosystems in Japan, there has been a greater need to remove them. Kirakuen accepts Red-eared Sliders captured in the rivers and ponds to study their ecology and breeding behavior without killing them. The aquarium hopes that the research will find effective methods for removing the species.

Suma Aqualife Park carried out a campaign to offer free admission to visitors who brought Red-eared Sliders with them to the park from August 7 to 13, 2010. Consequently, 599 freshwater turtles (572 Red-eared Sliders, 19 Reeve's Turtles, 4 Japanese Pond Turtles and 4 others) were brought into the facility. Although the campaign has ended, the park will continue to accept Red-eared Sliders brought in by citizens.

Over 60% of Turtles in Japan are Foreign Species (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/025496.html

Posted: 2010/11/24 06:00:15 AM