The Environment Ministry’s advisory body on Jan. 11 recommended banning the release of red swamp crayfish and red-eared sliders into the wild and the import of both species.

Red-eared sliders are the most popular turtle in the ... invasive species in a number of habitats and are now found in the wild in countries around the world, as a result of many being released ...

but a red-eared slider (native to the USA and northeastern Mexico). It is likely that this turtle was once a pet, or the offspring of a former pet which was then released back into the wild. An ...