The pond has come with some controversy, also with additions of non-native red-eared slider turtles that have adapted to the pond. Over the years, people have taken their household pets that they have bought for small tanks that have outgrown their home and released them in the pond on CSUN’s campus. Homeowners have decided to take the easy route and drop them at the CSUN pond to solve their problems. This has only transferred the problem to the CSUN pond to handle a turtle population that is detrimental to native turtles of California and across the United States. While the turtles seem to be a nice addition to the pond to visitors, they actually are harmful to the wildlife.

CSUN has chosen to keep the turtles in a somewhat quarantine environment at their pond, while trying to make the feature more sustainable for all types of wildlife. In the process making the experience for visitors and students more enjoyable. The pond will act as a living, breathing, sustainable ecosystem that’s enjoyable for visitors, but more importantly keeping our ever precious water environment from being destroyed.