Bermuda is being invaded - by wild terrapins.

That is, according to Heather DeSilva of Bermuda Biodiversity Project Field Coordinator, who added that few people realise that cats, pigeons, chickens and ducks are not the only feral animals in Bermuda.

Terrapins, fresh water turtles which are popular as pets while they are young (and small), can grow to be up to a foot long and are often either abandoned by their owners, or they may even escape on their own.

Evidence of this was discovered by a Sea Venture Watersports employee as he drove through the streets of Hamilton one night last week.

"As I was riding (along Woodbourne Avenue) I saw this thing scampering down the road," said the employee, who did not wish to be named. "He was very frightened. This cat was hissing at him, so I called my friend who lived round the corner and told him to bring a box. It was pretty late at night - he didn't believe me.

"The box was too small, so we put the turtle (who was about a foot long) in the lockbox of my bike, which we left open, and drove him back to my friend's house that way.

"But when we arrived back at the house, the turtle (who by this point had been christened Sheldon) had disappeared - he'd escaped from his box and the room he was in was pitch black.

"Finally we found him behind a plant - he's a cunning little fellow! I put him in a cat cage with some more lettuce and water and left him on my kitchen floor. My parents got a nice surprise when they walked into the kitchen and saw Sheldon that morning," he said.

"We took him to the Aquarium that morning, and they were really nice and took him."

At the Aquarium it was discovered that Sheldon, who is actually a female, is a red-eared slider terrapin turtle, probably around three or four years old.

"People don't realise that they can escape very easily and that they're fresh water turtles, not salt," said Sheldon's discoverer, who did not want to be named. "The Aquarium said they've been receiving like two or three turtles a week. It's becoming an Island-wide situation."

Authorities, agreed Ms Desilva, do in fact receive between 100 and 200 terrapins per year. In a recent article in the Aquarium's newsletter, CritterTalk, she said: "Knowing what we know today about the fragility of island ecosystems, we must seriously question whether it is prudent to continue to breed and sell terrapins in Bermuda.

"Do you really want a pet terrapin? " she asked, pointing out that terrapins can live up to 40 years or more in captivity, making them a very long term commitment. "Eventually keeping a pet terrapin can become burdensome and many people release their oversized, unwanted pets into Bermuda's ponds and ditches. Unfortunately this is bad news for our wetland habitats because terrapins are not originally found in Bermuda, and they threaten our native wildlife."

In fact, Sheldon's rescuer was not the only Sea Venture employee to rescue a turtle last week. The very next day jet ski tour guide Nigel Pollard discovered a terrapin turtle stranded on the rocks down at the Waterlot Inn.

"We couldn't reach him so we decided to let the tide come in and see what happened," explained tour guide Brian Steinhoff.

When the tide came in however, the turtle just swam around the area at the surface, and the Sea Venture boys grew concerned. "Nigel took a flying leap off the dock and chased the turtle, caught him bare-handed," said Mr. Steinhoff. "Then Ross Mancell (another Sea Venture employee,) came up on a jet ski and rescued them both.

Ross took him to the Aquarium that evening," he said.

"Whatever you do, don't release turtles into ponds or ditches," said Ms DeSilva. Unwanted terrapins should be taken to the Aquarium or the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. Unfortunately, due to the high numbers of terrapins being brought in many are put down. "If you know of a suitable place (to hold unwanted terrapins), give me a call at 293-2727 ext. 129."

said Ms DeSilva.