This feral Red-Eared Slider was caught at Kasugai Gardens City Park on July 27th, 2019. The garden is located across the street from Okanagan Lake in downtown Kelowna. The turtle, which is an invasive species, could have easily left the pond and got into the lake. There is a sign posted in the entrance way to the garden which lists the rules of the park and the garden etiquette. The sign reads, "Please do not throw any objects into the pond, or release pets such as fish or turtles. This will maintain the pond's delicate balance and ensure that no diseases are introduced." Furthermore it is against the law in BC to release pets into the wild and also cruel to do so.
This story was covered in Castanet News
Read the full article on castanet.net: Case of the missing turtle
"Red-eared sliders are the most popular pet turtle breed, but are not native to the Okanagan. Somehow, one of them found its way into Kasugai Gardens and frequent visitors became attached to the turtle."