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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Conservation status of the Hispaniolan Slider, Trachemys decorata, at Lake Trou Caïman, eastern Haiti: first data on an endemic, poorly studied, and endangered species.

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Hispaniolan Slider (Trachemys decorata) is a freshwater turtle of conservation interest, endemic to the island of Hispaniola. Although the species is known to be threatened with habitat destruction, hybridization with congeneric species, and commercial harvesting, little information is available on natural populations. Here we report the results of a pilot study conducted at Lake Trou Caiman, Haiti. From October 2017 to February 2018, we captured 44 individuals (mostly in areas dominated by cattails, Typhaceae) and had access to 48 additional individuals held in captivity by fishers and local people. Captive individuals were significantly larger than wildcaught ones. Based on individuals with a carapace length > 100 mm, sex-ratio did not differ from parity in either wild-caught or captive individuals. Females tended to be larger and heavier than males. The frequency of damaged carapace or plastron and/or wounds was significantly higher in captive individuals compared to individuals freshly captured in the lake, indicating poor husbandry. About 10% of all individuals showed orange supratemporal stripes, suggestive of hybridization with the Central Antillean Slider (T. stejnegeri) or the Red-eared Slider (T. scripta elegans). Based on interviews with 31 local fishers, we estimated that at least 1,600 T. decorata are harvested each year at Lake Trou Caiman. We discuss our results in relation to the conservation and management of T. decorata in Haiti.