In 2015, a count of turtles basking at Minto-Brown Island Park in Salem, Oregon, showed how a common pet could become a problem for native wildlife. Of 50 turtles observed at basking sites, 30 were non-native red-eared sliders, according to reporting by the Statesman Journal . The sliders were believed to have been released after being kept as pets. Once in the ponds and sloughs of the 1,200-acre park, they joined two native freshwater turtle species: the western painted turtle and the northwestern pond turtle. Both native species are considered species of conservation concern in Oregon. Basking sites are an important resource for turtles, since they use sunny logs, rocks, and other surfaces to warm their bodies. When non-native turtles occupy those sites in large numbers, native species may have fewer opportunities to use them.
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