Trachemys terrapen
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaican_slider
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Trachemys terrapen faces severe pressure from habitat destruction as coastal wetlands and freshwater systems are converted for agriculture and urban development throughout its Caribbean range. The species is heavily exploited for local consumption and international pet trade, with adults and eggs collected unsustainably from wild populations. Introduced predators and competing turtle species further threaten remaining populations, while pollution from agricultural runoff degrades water quality in critical breeding habitats.
Habitat
This freshwater turtle inhabits slow-moving rivers, ponds, marshes, and coastal wetlands across the Caribbean islands. It prefers shallow waters with abundant aquatic vegetation and muddy substrates that provide both feeding opportunities and nesting sites along sandy or soft soil banks.