B.C. has only one native turtle species. It’s the coastal western painted turtle.

Over the past 15 years, an invasive turtle has been taking over its turf. Red-eared sliders are from the southeast U.S. How did they end up in B.C.?

They’re abandoned pets.

How much is that turtle in the window?

The pet trade has sold 52 million red-eared sliders since the 1950s. When people buy them, they’re only as big as a toonie. But they grow. And grow. And grow!

Adult sliders are the size of a dinner plate. They need a tank as big as a bathtub.