Potentially invasive turtle species found in Merrimack River
August 13, 2024
by Peter Currier | Aug 13, 2024 | The Lowell Sun and The Boston Herald
LOWELL—A potentially invasive species of turtle was found in Lowell last week near the confluence of the Merrimack and Concord rivers, raising concerns over the possible impacts to turtles native to the area.
In an Aug. 10 statement, officials from the nonprofit OARS 3 Rivers said the Chinese softshell turtle, native to east Asia, was found by their environmental intern Nathan Callan, marking the first time the species has been found in the Merrimack River watershed. On Aug. 8, Callan had been fishing in the river less than a mile upstream from the Concord River, looking for carp, when he found the turtle and reported it to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
MassWildlife herpetologist Michael Jones confirmed the turtle to be a Chinese softshell.
Jones said Monday morning this species of turtle is certainly not native to Massachusetts, but it remains to be seen whether they can or will be invasive to the local ecosystem.
“In any case, it would be helpful to understand if there are more of them in the Merrimack,” Jones said in a phone call. “Another species of softshell has been well established in the Connecticut River, so it seems plausible another could establish itself here.”
Softshell turtles have a distinct appearance from the kinds that are native and common to Massachusetts, like snapping turtles. Rather than having a textured shell, softshell turtles have a more smooth, “pancake-like” shell, Jones said. They also sport a larger nose than their native cousins, and the females tend to grow a bit larger.
The introduction of a new turtle species into a watershed could have ecological impacts if the new species is able to thrive and grow in population. This can lead to competition for food and precious basking space, potentially threatening the native turtle species.
Jones said in the case of freshwater turtles like Chinese softshells, their appearance in areas they are not native to is usually not a natural occurrence, and is typically the result of human actions or mistakes.
“It was probably an accidental introduction, whether the animal was imported for food or as a pet,” said Jones. “But it was probably imported for food.”
Regardless of species, native or otherwise, Jones advised that pet turtles should not be released into the wild. Instead, he said turtle owners who need to get rid of their pets should contact MassWildlife.
OARS called for individuals paddling through the Merrimack, Sudbury, Assabet, or Concord rivers to keep a look out for any other potential Chinese softshell turtles, and to report any findings to MassWildlife to help them track and manage the species.
Published in
The Lowell Sun on Aug 14, 2024: Link to published story
The Boston Herald on Aug 14, 2024: Link to published story
