Turtles abandoned at Central Coast pond are being relocated — to SLO County reptile rescue

While the Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden is known for its so-called “turtle pond,” the Santa Barbara Parks & Recreation Department decided to remove and relocate the turtles to provide them with a better habitat and to improve the pond’s ecosystem.

The population of red-eared slider turtles in the pond is estimated to be more than 200, and while Santa Barbara residents and visitors alike have visited the park for years to see the turtles, they’re actually considered an invasive species to the pond.

According to the Parks & Recreation Department, the turtles were introduced by pet owners illegally releasing unwanted pet turtles in the pond, and turtles continue to be abandoned there each year. The park is located on an entire city block at 1500 Santa Barbara St.

The pond originally contained koi fish and aquatic plants, but they could not survive as the water quality deteriorated because of the growing turtle population, according to the city.

The department said that 86 red-eared slider turtles are being relocated to Turtle and Tortoise Rescue of Arroyo Grande, a 5-acre sanctuary in San Luis Obispo County where they will be in a new outdoor exhibit to educate people about animal diversity and conservation.

Santa Barbara Parks Manager Simón Herrera said there is no expected timeline for relocating the remaining turtles, but the city is in touch with two animal rescues who may be able to take the reptiles in.

“The only way to remove all of the animals would be to drain the pond,” Herrera said. “We do not have plans to drain the pond at this time, so we anticipate that the pond will continue to have some turtles in it. However, even with some turtles remaining, the reduced population will improve the pond’s water quality.”

He added that if they can keep the turtle population low, the department may be able to eventually look into reintroducing fish and aquatic plants to restore the pond to its original design.

“It has been a growing challenge over the years to manage the pond’s condition (with people abandoning turtles at the park),” Herrera said. “We’re really excited to have found a sanctuary that can take so many of these animals at once. … Pet owners may think they are doing the right thing by releasing them into an outdoor pond, but not only is it illegal, it’s cruel to the animal and can cause real harm to the ecosystem.”

Moving the turtles to a rescue “will provide them with a location designed to meet their unique habitat needs, including pristine water quality and a strong filtration system to remove waste,” the Parks & Recreation Department said.

“Because the pond at Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden is not equipped to meet these needs or provide the specialized care that turtles require, the Parks & Recreation Department hopes to relocate the remaining animals as sanctuary space allows.

“Members of the public are urged to do adequate research before deciding to bring a pet home. Releasing an unwanted pet in the wild is a misdemeanor offense in California (Ca. Pen. Code 597s) and can cause serious harm to local ecosystems.”