Confirmed as Invasive 'Wolf Turtle'
High Likelihood of Illegal Release
Bupyeong-gu: "Search and Capture Operations Underway"
A wolf turtle, designated as an ecosystem-disrupting species, was discovered in a park in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, prompting authorities to take action.
According to Bupyeong-gu officials on June 30, a complaint was received at 7:42 a.m. that day, reporting, "A large turtle is roaming around a park in Galsan-dong, Bupyeong-gu." Initially, the district office assumed the turtle had escaped from a nearby detention pond used for ecological experiences and returned it there.
However, it was later identified as a wolf turtle, a species designated as an ecosystem-disrupting organism, and authorities resumed efforts to capture it. The wolf turtle, an invasive species, is distributed across a wide area from southern Canada to Ecuador. Since it cannot occur naturally in Korea's ecosystem, it is highly likely that it was kept as a pet and then illegally released.
In addition, the wolf turtle preys on fish, birds, small mammals, and amphibians, and is known for its strong aggressiveness and predatory nature. It has no natural enemies in Korea.
A Bupyeong-gu official stated, "A private contractor responsible for handling after-hours complaints mistakenly released the turtle," adding, "We plan to continue searching the area and conducting capture operations."
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