The first case report of the Florida cooter (Pseudemys floridana) in Poland, along with an market analysis and comments on the online pet trade as a source of potential biological invasions

The threat posed by invasive alien turtle species to aquatic ecosystems in Poland has been increasing annually. The composition of species recorded in the wild reflects trends observed in the pet trade. Following the ban on trade in the slider turtle (Trachemys scripta), species of the genus Pseudemys (cooter turtles) have become dominant in the Polish pet turtle market. Consequently, released cooter turtles are recorded with increasing frequency in the wild, and the scale of their invasion may be comparable to, or even exceed, that currently observed for slider turtles. In 2025, the first report of a released Florida cooter (Pseudemys floridana) was documented in Poznań, which is probably the first record of this species in Poland. An analysis of online advertisements for freshwater turtles indicates that cooter turtles represent almost 50% of all offers. This highlights the need for a comprehensive risk assessment of their invasion potential and suggests that the list of invasive alien species of concern in Poland should be revised to include Pseudemys spp. However, no action against keeping it in private hands should be taken. The main preventive action should be a ban on the import of Pseudemys spp. to Poland to prevent further invasion.