Red Hills Desert Garden in southern Utah to close after fish were introduced illegally

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St. George • A botanical garden in southwestern Utah is closing for a week to allow for the removal of illegally introduced goldfish and other popular pet species.

Steve Meismer with the Virgin River Program says the illegally introduced fish at the Red Hills Desert Garden now outnumber and threaten the garden's endangered native fish.

The Spectrum reports that biologists will start removing the invasive species Monday and reopen the park Aug. 26. The process will include catching local species before the stream is drained and killing the remaining fish.

Signs at the desert garden warn visitors against adding fish to the stream, but Mesimer says he doesn't think people "understand the ramifications of dumping a fish somewhere."

More than 1,000 goldfish have already been removed from the water this year.