Photo Gallery :: RES's in the wild... kind of!

[ss18]

Ok, i took these pic's last time i was at the Phoenix Zoo here in Phoenix. They have 100's if not 1000's of turtles in the pond (it's huge) outside of the zoo. I was talking to one of the workers who was throwing food in teh water and i asked why they have so many. The girl told me "these don't belong to the zoo, we call them "midnight donation", people just throw them in the pond when they no longer want them for themselfs". She also went on to tell me a few years back they drained the pond and found homes for all of them, and filled it back up with water, and soon they started apearing again. They also find Koi and other types of pond animals dropped off.

I just thought of this because of all the posts i see about people finding "wild" turtles.






EDIT: Ok, working now!

[missibsu]

Those are incredible pictures! It's sad to think that people just drop them off, but in the end they are getting homes. Just goes to show that people get more than they bargin for and don't know what to do. That's why shelters and rescue centers are overpopulated. If I had found this site first, I would have adopted an older turt. or two...

[sonyj]

Wow! That's a lot of turtles! It's sad how people get themselves into this and then want to take the easy way out when they find out how much work or how big they get.

Thanks for sharing the pics.

[industrial_girl_2000]

It's too bad that the pet stores don't make more efforts to let people know that a turt is a long-term commitment.

In my case, I am allergic to anything with fur/feathers so I knew early on that a turt (or any other water pet) would fit into my life just fine. I was prepared to have water pets and the fact that Sheba has lived so long has worked out great.

[Andrew7769]

The zoo seems like they care and its nice that they found homes for so many

[Anette]

I didn't know that they were just trown there. I'm from phoenix too and I remember always going and watching the turtles at the zoo. at least they care for them and it beats an aquarium. I agree people
should realize that a turtle is a lifetime commitement.
They dont die after 4 years like hamsters

[ss18]

Yeah, i only know that cause i was talking to the girl that was working there standing outside and she told me the story.

And who's hampster lives 4 years

[marisa]

Doesn't look like they have much space...

[ss18]

calm down, it's just hard to tell from a picture, but the lake is HUGE that they live in, it was just feeding time so they were all by the bridge.

[reptilegrrl]

That is very sad that they are abandoned, but at least they have a place to go. I'm glad the zoo feeds them.

ss18, Marisa seems calm to me. There was no need for that.

[Turtleboy]

major problem is if someone threw in a contagious illed turtle

[marisa]

ss18, you thought I was not being calm? Believe me, if I was not calm, you would know it.

[industrial_girl_2000]

I can't imagine ever getting rid of my Sheba. She has been with me for 16 yrs & has really grown on me (no pun intended!). As they get older, they get even more used to you & I think they get cuter with their personalities! Too bad there are so many people who don't feel that way.

[fric]

They'll be okay ... thank goodness. As we all know, they tend to beg and are probably not only fed by the zoo but by people passing by. We have a pond on the golf course with 25 to 50 turtles that gather in one spot and beg when you come by. For wild turtles, they will crawl out of the water and onto the bank to be the first to get a snack from you. They love crackers and will eat pretty much what ever you share with them.
I totally agree though ... dumping them off is not right.

[samandnelly]

All those were dumped off too. And those were just by people who knew about the lake. Which should only be a small portion of everyone who gets tired of having a turtle.