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OAKLAND, Calif. (KTVU) - Lake Merritt may seem like a slice of paradise to some, but for many turtles the lake eventually becomes an enticing looking death trap.
James Robinson, the director of the non-profit Lake Merritt Institute, which cleans trash from the lake, says volunteers have consistently fished out dead and dying turtles and that most are likely former pets, dumped there by their owners.
" I saw a turtle dead. It was lying near the shore. It had all its extremities out and wasn't moving," said one frequent visitor.
What pet owners may not have realized is that this is not a fresh water lake. Salt water from the bay and fresh water both run through it. The salt content is enough to overwhelm fresh water turtles.
"They become de-hydrated from the salt water. They eventually have organ failure and it is a slow unfortunate way to go," says Robinson.
Robinson says most of the turtles dying in Lake Merritt are Red-Eared Sliders. One Concord pet store says they sell them mostly to put in backyard ponds.
Red-Eared Sliders are popular in China. Experts say they're extremely aggressive, breed rapidly and in fresh water can decimate the populations of native western pond turtles.
At the Lindsey Wildlife Museum, reptile specialists say dumping pet turtles in improper places is a bay Area-wide problem.
"Kids get them as pets. They don't want them anymore. Plus they get big. Having a turtle in your home takes an an appropriate set up," says Dawn Manley of the Lindsey Wildlife Museum.
The advice from the experts is never release a pet into any lake, stream or pond. It's best to contact a wildlife rescue organization and let them take it from there.