Okanagans Most Unwanted
British Columbia's invasive species
what are invasive species
An invasive specie in an organism that ended up in a certain place that it is not native to. They commonly spread very easy, because of this people believe that these species can cause damage to the environment, the economy and human health.
The REd eared slider turtle
Distintive Fitures,Common Name and Scientific Name
- Common Name: Red-eared Slider Turtle
- Scientific Name: Trachemys Scripta Elegans
- Red-brown ear patch just behind the eye may be dark brown in older turtles
- Bright yellow underside with black scattered spots
- Yellow stripes on legs and neck
- Smooth dark shell often covered with dark lines, swirls and patches of white yellow and red
- Males have long claws
- maximum length 28cm
How Did the Fugitives Make it to Bc/History
- Available in markets and dime stores in early 1900
- -This was in USA
- Farming of the turtle grew during the1950's
- -Also in USA
- Many turtles became food in Asia or ended up in pet stores
- -Still a very common household pet
- They were available for sale in BC as early as 1960
Hideouts
- Southern Vancouver Island
- Lower Main Land
- Burnaby
- Stanley Park
- Lakes
- Riparian Zones(the interface between land and a river or stream)
- Water Courses
- Wet Lands
- Rivers
- Ditches
- Swamps
- Ponds
Crimes(negative impacts on the ecosystem) how they recruit
-Because the are omnivorous they impact on a range of aquatic prey (including rare amphibians)
-They are a threat to nesting water birds, because they take over nests and damage eggs
-They out compete native turtles for space and food
-They carry diseases that can kill native turtles and/or aquatic wildlife
How they recruit
- They mate like most animals
- Male turtles have long claws to impress females during mating season
- Females lay eggs
cops action play to stop the crimes
The plans can be difficult and expensive
-Removing turtle by netting waterways
-They use trained detector dogs to find turtles - very few detector dogs have been trained
-Small bodies of water can, or have been drained
interesting facts
- Semiaquatic
-Belongs to emydidae family (commonly called pond or marsh turtles)
-The turtle from Wonder Pets was a red eared slider turtle
Himalayan blackberry
Physical Descriptions and common and scientific names
Common Name: Himalayan Blackberry
Scientific Name: Rubus Armeniacus
-Canes 3 metres high, 12 metres long
-Leaves: Large, rounded or oblong, divided into 5 leaf lings, dark green on top, green-grey on bottom, and coarsely separated margins on the leaves
-Pink/white, five pedaled flowers in clusters of 5-20 during spring
-Shiny deep purple berries 2cm long
-Canes covered in slightly curved thorns
How Did the Fugitives Make it to Bc/History
-Came from Europe
-Introduced to Americans in 1885 by an American botanist ( praised the plants for the abundant berries)
-By 1945 the plants spread along the Pacific Coast
-The berries have now spread across the province
Hideouts
-Pastures
-Roadsides
-Stream banks
-Fresh water
-Margins
-Forest edges
-Wooded ravines
-Most of the southwest
-Lower mainland
-Sunshine coast
-Okanagan area
-Central/southern Vancouver Island
-Stanley park (been spotted there)
-Urban arias including
-Gardens
-forest edges
-Along river and stream banks
Crimes(negitive impacts on the enviroment) How do They Recute
-Out competes low growing plants through shading
-Large dense thickets prevent animal movement
-Takes over stream channels and banks
-Reduces sight lines along right-of-way
-Thickets increase flooding and erosion potential by preventing deep rooted plants and shrubs that would create stability
They reproduce by
-Seed
-Vegetative reproduction (means new organisms were created without using seeds or spores)
-May take several years to reproduce
cops action play to stop the crimes
-Mowing
-Persistent cultivation
-Grazing by goats
-Manually by digging up the roots
interesting facts
-Grows rapidly
-Loved by cooks
-Canes only live for 2 years
-The leaves are not poisonous