Status of an urban feral Red-Eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) population in Sydney a decade on

Introduced species have made a major contribution to the degradation of aquatic wetlands throughout the world and particularly in Australia. One species, Red-Eared Slider Trachemys scripta elegans, classified among the world's top 100 most invasive pest species, has established populations in Australia, most extensively in South-eastern Queensland. A decade ago a small established population was identified in a wetland in Southern Sydney in Yeramba Lagoon. We re-visited this population a decade on to determine its status and the impact on the two resident native freshwater turtle species, Chelodina longicollis Eastern Long Necked Turtle and Emydura macquarii dharuk Sydney Basin Turtle. We captured similar numbers of red-eared sliders as a decade before but increased number of the two native species. There was therefore no indication that the feral species was currently at a competitive advantage over the native species.