Written by Angie Cha
Learn
Here at the Effie Yeaw Nature Center, we have a wonderful pond in the village. It’s one of the first things you see when you walk towards the visitor center from the parking lot. In the pond, you will find rich biodiversity including species like mosquito fish, tadpoles, bullfrogs, and a variety of plants both around and in the water. Unfortunately, every so often goldfish and non-native turtles are spotted in the village pond which poses a risk to the natural balance of the aquatic habitat.
The village pond is rich in vegetation, making it a great home for local, native wildlife. This also extends to released pets who would be able to easily adapt to their new environment full of shelter and food. Goldfish, turtles such as the red-eared slider, and any other pets released in this pond are invasive species that can harm the ecosystem of the pond. They create unhealthy competition by both destroying and eating aquatic plants, as well as eating native aquatic animals leading to a detrimental decline to native species. Pets released into the village pond may also carry diseases or parasites that could harm native populations.
Our local pond turtles are among the many species negatively impacted by released pets such as the red-eared slider. You can read more about the conservation status of global and local turtles here and how you can help protect them.
When visiting the village pond, visitors are encouraged to observe the animals living in the pond. It is also important to remember not to feed the wildlife. They have all the necessary food and nutrients available to them and do not need our help to survive. Please also be aware that there is no scooping and collecting allowed in order to ensure the safety and health of the aquatic habitat. With your help, we can safeguard our wonderful pond as well as other aquatic ecosystems in the Nature Study Area.
Create
Draw some fun critters that lives in ponds on Ziploc bags and cut out a paper flashlight! Pretend you’re underwater and exploring within the pond! Click here or the image below to follow the tutorial.
Activate
Stop by the Effie Yeaw Nature Center if you can. Come check out the village pond! While you’re at it, take a quick walk to the river. Compare and contrast the pond to the river. What do you notice? What do you wonder? What does the pond or river or both of these remind you of?