Cruel behavior: Red-eared sliders drown ducklings in front of their mother (video).

Red-eared sliders are among the most popular pets in the United States, which has made them one of the top 100 most invasive species worldwide. This popularity has led to a mass release of these pets, resulting in their takeover of vast territories. Scientists are concerned that red-eared sliders are displacing many native species and spreading rapidly, but even more alarming is the new behavior exhibited by these turtles, which researchers had not previously observed, reports IFLScience.

In April 2023, Alex Landry was filming a pond in Mandeville, Louisiana, when he witnessed something shocking: a female red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) surfaced from the water and lurked near some ducklings that were unaware of the threat. In the next moment, the turtle grabbed a duckling and dragged it underwater — the mother tried to rescue her chick by stepping on the turtle's back, but all efforts were in vain.

According to ecologist Brad Glorioso from the U.S. Geological Survey, freshwater turtles were thought to primarily feed on fish, insects, and some amphibians. It is known that they may also scavenge, but the new behavior observed at the pond suggests that red-eared sliders may also act as active predators.

Researchers reviewed the footage but still do not know how common such behavior is. Glorioso conducted a study and found that reports of similar incidents were quite rare — he managed to discover only one account of a similar case in Europe. At that time, researchers noted that they could only capture a photo of the turtle's shape as it disappeared into the murky water.

In a subsequent article, scientists documented unusual behavior in snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina), but this new research essentially provides the first indisputable documented video evidence that adult red-eared sliders attack live ducklings. This is somewhat shocking, as it was believed that they increasingly leaned towards a herbivorous lifestyle as they matured.

Scientists are unsure what drives this aggressive behavior in turtles, but they speculate it may be linked to limited resources — the female might not have been able to obtain sufficient food necessary for laying eggs. It is known that in the following weeks, the mother duck lost several more ducklings, but researchers do not know if turtles were involved.

According to Glorioso, he and his colleagues still do not know how often such occurrences happen, but they are now convinced that turtle attacks are possible. This may be more of a phenomenon in more anthropogenically altered habitats. And, perhaps in these environments, due to resource scarcity, turtles will do what they need to survive. It is particularly concerning that turtles are an invasive species and are widespread around the globe.