Aquarium news : news magazine of the North Carolina Aquariums

              Shark Gets New Digs 3
Underwater Gardener 8
Edge of the Sea 9
New Tankmate 15 inside
A Q U A R I U M WINTER 2008/09
N E W S M A G A Z I N E O F T H E N O R T H C A R O L I N A A Q U A R I U M S NEWS
In the last issue of Aquarium News, we
announced several new initiatives to learn
more about a group that’s very special to us:
our members! Through focus groups, and
from responses to our online survey, we
attempted to get a feel for who our
members are and what they like – or don’t
like – about the Aquariums. The findings
have been interesting and will allow us to
fine-tune our organization, as we attempt
to offer the best possible services to our
supporters.
When asked what you liked best about the
Aquariums, the overwhelming answer was
touch tanks and hands-on activities, especially
those directed toward children. The next most
frequent response was the overall condition
and cleanliness of the Aquariums, followed by
the friendly and knowledgeable staff.
Asked to rank the various member benefits,
the hands-down favorite was free year-round
admission to all three Aquariums, fol-lowed
closely by free admission to 150 other
zoos and aquariums around the country.
Nearly half our members had taken advan-tage
of this reciprocal benefit to visit other
institutions such as the NC Zoo in Asheboro.
Eighty percent indicated an interest in more
“Members-Only” programs, and the same
number asked for communications by email
of coming events.
We’re working now to put together a
monthly e-newsletter, with timely informa-tion
on everything from coming Aquarium
programs and field trips to signing up for
kids camps. If you’d like to receive these
notifications, just email us at societymail
@ncaquariums.com. From all of us at the
Aquariums, thanks for your continued inter-est
and support!
Soundings
Let Us Hear from You!
Do you have comments about …
• Exhibits?
• The Web site?
• Aquarium programs?
• Aquarium News articles?
We welcome your suggestions and ideas!
ncaquariums.com or 919-877-5500
Aquarium News is published twice yearly by the
NC Aquarium Society
3125 Poplarwood Ct., Suite 160
Raleigh, NC 27604
919-877-5500
1-800-832-FISH
Managing Editor: Sherry White
Contributors: Mark Joyner, Julie Powers, Meredith
Owens, Amy Kilgore, Buster Nunemaker, Dia Hitt,
Scott Taylor, Kitty Dough, Lori Watkins, Claire Aubel,
Joe Malat, Jacob Rudolph, William Davis, Heather
Broadhurst, Chris Carlin, Pat McNeese, Laurie Streble,
Stefanie Misner, Barbara Buchanan, Kimberly Sams,
Wayne Justice, John Mauser, Brian Dorn, Emmett
Westbrook, John Thompson, Andrea Bell, Kelley
Rodill, Shannon Kemp/ Carteret News-Times, Rick
Eller, UNCW Marine Mammal Program, Mike
Spencer/Star News, MSA, Nate Bacheler, Ansley
Nurkin, Chelsea Finical, Jan Fahlbusch, Randy
Newman, NC Divison of Parks and Recreation, Kevin
Geraghty, Emily Fisher, John Morillo, MSA, John
Thompson, Paul Gray, Vlad Pambucol, Ricki Lipscomb
Design by Sally Johns Design, Raleigh, NC
Printing by Hickory Printing Group
Renew Your Membership!
Is your membership about to expire?
Three EASY ways to renew!
1. Call 1-800-832-FISH
2. Check ncaquariums.com and click on "Join
the Aquarium"
3. Complete the membership form on
pg. 17. Write RENEWAL at the top, then
clip and mail!
N.C. AQUARIUM ON
ROANOKE ISLAND
N.C. AQUARIUM AT
PINE KNOLL SHORES
N.C. AQUARIUM AT
FORT FISHER
Behind-the-Scenes tours are one of the Aquariums’ most popular indoor programs.
Mark Joyner, Executive Vice President
NC Aquarium Society
Photo by Claire Aubel
Into blogging? Log onto the Aquarium at Fort Fisher’s new blog, “WaterLogged,” at
. Get more Aquarium news, information on conservation
and environmental issues, and even recent activities and events. And, visitors are
invited to comment. The new blog is one of many ways the Aquariums are reaching
out to the online community.
Logo design by Amy Kilgore
2
Three’s
Company
4
Gators in
Training
6
Sea Shell
Secrets
7
Winter at the
Aquariums
10
Diamonds
in the
Rough
12
Show Us Your
Fish Face
16
Name That
Fish
Contents for Winter 2008/09
A Q U A R I U M
N E W S M A G A Z I N E O F T H E N O R T H C A R O L I N A A Q U A R I U M S NEWS
On the Cover: While diving the U-352 southeast of
Beaufort Inlet, Emily Fisher of Marquette, MI, came across
this brittle star ambling across a cluster of coral.
Cover Inset: John Morillo found this alligator lounging
comfortably in its exhibit in the Cape Fear Conservatory at
the Aquarium at Fort Fisher.
1
Photo by John Mauser
Photo by Emmett Westbrook
Territory is worth defending, as
these two white grunts demonstrate
in the Living Shipwreck at the
Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores.
Photo by Scott Taylor
Photo by Barbara Buchanan
Photo by Brian Dorn
Photo by Claire Aubel
Photo by John Thompson
The Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores was delighted to introduce
another furry face to its River Otter exhibit this summer. Eno,
a young North American river otter, was found near White
Lake, NC, in late April, orphaned by a car accident that killed
his mother. Like the Aquarium’s two adult otters, Neuse and
Pungo, Eno was named for a North Carolina River.
Eno arrived at the Aquarium at the tender age of one month.
Because otters don’t usually leave their den until at least two
months of age, Eno still needed a lot of care. Weighing only
about two pounds, the baby otter was bottle-fed every four
hours around the clock until he was old enough to begin eat-ing
fish.
Eno’s care was not limited
to feeding. Much of an
otter’s behavior is taught
by its mother, so the hus-bandry
staff began the
lengthy process of teach-ing
Eno important otter
skills, such as swimming,
clim bing and hunting fish.
As Eno grew, so did the
depth of his practice pool
and his seemingly endless
appetite. Following the
veterinary seal of appro -
val, Eno was introduced to
the 16,000-gallon otter
exhibit. Initially, because
of his small size, he was
put on display by himself
and quickly be gan chasing
goldfish in the exhibit’s
chilly pools.
River otters demonstrate
do minance within their
social groups, so introduc-ing
Eno to Neuse and
Pungo was a delicate
process. Introductions took
place over many weeks,
starting with allowing the otters to hear and smell each other,
then gradually allowing them to meet visually through a pro-tective
window.
When Eno was finally big enough to keep up with the active
playtime sessions of the full-grown otters, they were slowly
introduced one by one. After several days of closely moni-tored
interaction, Eno was able to join his counterparts in the
exhibit. Today, all three can be seen frolicking, wrestling and
napping daily!
2
Photo by Pat McNeese Photo by Julie Powers
Photo by Julie Powers
Aquarist Meredith Owens was Eno’s main caretaker. Initially, the young orphan had to be fed around the clock.
Eno learns to swim.
Upon his arrival, Eno was esti-mated
to be about a month old.
Three s
By Meredith Owens, Aquarist
3
Thanks to a generous grant from the Community Foundation of
Southeastern North Carolina and the NC Aquarium Society, the
Aquarium at Fort Fisher has a new set of wheels. The founda-tion’s
$15,000 donation, along with $55,000 raised by the
Society, helped purchase a new Outreach Program vehicle.
Outreach Programs present hands-on activities to schools,
libraries, camps and community groups around the state. The
programs highlight aquatic animals found in North Carolina
waters. However, unlike loading up your pet for a trip to the in-laws,
the Aquarium transports animals such as sea stars, hermit
crabs, sea turtles and alligators. This tends to complicate road
trips a bit. The new vehicle will make traveling much easier and
safer for the animals and their caretakers.
The new vehicle contains a life support system and a ramp for
loading and unloading. It can also operate on diesel or biodiesel
fuel. These modifications will allow Aquarium educators to
travel longer distances and introduce more students and com-munities
to our state’s many fascinating aquatic animals.
There’s a new kid on the block at the Aquarium on Roanoke Island.
Ginglymostoma cirratum, a nurse shark, outgrew its comfort zone at
the Virginia Living Museum. Thanks to a national exchange network
among zoos and aquariums, the shark was transferred to the
Aquarium, where it would reside with relatives more its own size,
such as sand tiger and sandbar sharks.
After the standard quarantine and veterinary check-up, the 6-foot
shark was introduced into the 285,000-gallon Graveyard of the
Atlantic exhibit.
Monitoring of the new addition was under the watchful eye of
Aquarist Heather White. “He’s extremely smart,” said White, “and he
had to learn how to be target fed, a process using a long pole to place
food in front of the shark to make sure everyone gets a fair share.”
The 2008 NC Aquariums’ Amateur
Underwater Photo Contest is
under way. Amateur and non-professional
photographers are
encouraged to enter their best
shots in the annual contest. No
entry fee is required. Deadline for
this year’s entries is Dec. 31,
2008. Winners will be announced
on or before March 31, 2009. The
contest is sponsored by East
Carolina Bank.
The Aquariums stage the contest
to highlight the state’s rich
aquatic resources, and to recog-nize
excellence in amateur pho-tography.
Cash prizes are awarded in three
categories, including Aquatic Life
in the NC Aquariums. Entries by
divers must be taken in waters off
North Carolina, or within the
state’s freshwater systems. Winning photos are published here in
Aquarium News and posted on the Aquariums’ website.
For complete contest rules and entry application, or to view last year’s
winning entries, visit ncaquariums.com.
Photo by Paul Gray
Steve Dillon of the Community Foundation of Southeastern North Carolina
presents a check to Aquarium Director Donna Moffitt (center) and Outreach
Coordinator Dee Rudolph.
Photo by Buster Nunemaker
Aquarium Gets New Ride
Through the Lens
Shark Gets New Digs
By Buster Nunemaker, Public Relations Coordinator
By Amy Kilgore, Public Relations Coordinator
Photo by Amy Kilgore
4
Who would think that the American alligator (Alligator mississippen-sis),
with a brain the size of a lima bean, would have the ability to
learn, or better yet be trainable?
At the Aquarium on Roanoke Island, alligators have been trained to
ensure both animal and keeper safety. “Target” training, in which the
alligator follows a target pole to a desired location, has proved to be
very effective. It’s used to direct the animals to individual feeding
stations, or to specific areas when the staff needs to enter the exhibit
for maintenance. It’s also the technique used to direct the alligators
onto scales to be weighed.
Hand signals and verbal cues are another training technique. This
process begins with a command such as “hold” or “open,” to instruct
the alligators to maintain a position, or to open their mouths for
feeding. This is followed by the verbal cue "bridge." This lets the ani-mal
know it followed the command correctly. Its reward is a tasty
treat. Such training techniques are especially important when the
alligators require examination by keepers or veterinarians.
Since the Aquarium staff began training these large reptiles, aggres-sion
between exhibit animals has been eliminated, and aggression
toward keepers has become almost non-existent. Weekly public
feeding programs demonstrate to visitors that reptiles do have the
In the wild, alligators may eat only once or twice a week during ability to learn!
hot weather.
Photo by Andrea Bell
Photo by Kelley Rodill
By Lori Watkins, Aquarist/Herpetologist
Alligator training helps ensure the safety of both animals and caretakers.
Reptiles and amphibians were the stars of the show during “Scales and Tales” at the
Aquarium at Fort Fisher. The popularity of the day-long event calls for an encore performance
in March 2009.
During this year’s slithery spectacular, specially designed programs allowed visitors to get a
feel for dozens of species of reptiles and amphibians, as well as talk to experts about these
fascinating but sometimes frightening cold-blooded creatures.
“By interacting with live specimens and experts in the field, we hope visitors will gain a bet-ter
appreciation and understanding of these animals, and be inspired to take steps to protect
them,” said Peggy Sloan, education curator.
Reptiles and amphibians are important links in maintaining a healthy environment, because
their diets include insects and small mammals such as rodents.
Youngsters get a feel for a docile cornsnake.
By Amy Kilgore, Public Relations Coordinator
Gators in Training
Photo by Claire Aubel
5
For years, the modest fossil exhibit at
the Aquarium on Roanoke Island consist-ed
of a small depression tucked away on
the soundside. Today, after an extreme
makeover, the exhibit commands a much
more prominent position.
The new Fossil Hunt measures 16 feet in
diameter and is surrounded by an attrac-tive
circular wall. Its centerpiece is a tow-ering,
5½-foot tall, fiberglass Megalodon
shark tooth.
Handy trowels are available for digging
through the 20-million year old fill materi-al.
The fill is supplied by PCS Phosphate in
Aurora, NC. Eye-catching graphic panels
feature fun facts, photographs and illustra-tions.
Be sure to allow time to do some
fossil sleuthing on your next Aquarium visit!
Twelve-year-old David Wilcox knows
a thing or two about fossilized shark
teeth. He has hundreds of them in his
collection. David is part of the
Aquarium family on Roanoke Island.
His parents, Beth and Tony Wilcox,
work at the Aquarium.
When David heard the Aquarium was
going to redesign its outdoor fossil
exhibit, he offered to loan his marine
fossil collection to help develop the
exhibit’s new graphic panels. He
carefully sorted and organized his
specimens, and assisted the exhibit
staff in photographing several items.
The photographs will help other fossil
enthusiasts identify the treasures
they unearth in the new hands-on
Fossil Hunt.
Fossil hunters get to keep their finds.
FossilExhibitRevamped
By Kitty Dough, Media Technician, and Buster Nunemaker, Public Relations Coordinator
Logan Headington, one of the Aquarium Society’s
younger members, recently caused quite a frenzy over
sharks. The 6-year-old says his love of sharks started as a
toddler with visits to the Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores,
and he plans to someday become a shark scientist.
While watching Discovery Channel’s 2008 “Shark Week,”
Logan learned of a program called Adoptashark. The
Adoptashark initiative is part of Iemanya Oceanica, a
nonprofit shark conservation organization.
Wanting to raise awareness of the number of shark
species in peril, Logan put together an educational poster
and hit the road on a campaign to adopt one shark: price
tag $50.
He visited surf shops and fishing charter businesses in
Atlantic Beach. By the end of his first day, he had collect-ed
enough money to adopt three sharks. The next morn-ing,
Logan awoke to find donations left on his doorstep
anonymously. He eventually raised more than $250 –
enough funds for five adoptions.
Unfortunately, Logan’s fundraising had to come to a halt.
He had to put his campaign on hold to enroll in first grade.
Logan Headington raised more than $250 for shark
conservation.
Funds for Fins
By Claire Aubel, Public Relations Assistant
Helping Hand
Photo by Shannon Kemp, courtesy Carteret County News-Times
Photo by Buster Nunemaker Photo by Buster Nunemaker
By Kitty Dough, Media Technician
6
What could be more beckoning
than a stretch of beach littered
with sea shells cast up by a
storm? The beachcomber in
each of us delights at the
thought, knowing that among
the seaweed and driftwood
may well be a few of the
ocean’s real treasures – perfect
shells from the ocean’s depths.
They’ve been admired and
eagerly collected throughout
history, yet even today most of
us know little about the animals
that create these wonders of
nature.
These are the mollusks, the
word itself meaning “soft bod-ied,”
and suggesting why a hard
covering is needed for protec-tion.
Most, but not all, live in the sea, and their blood is rich in dis-solved
calcium. Excess calcium is crystallized into the hard shell that
grows layer by layer throughout the animal’s life.
The two largest classes of mollusks are the bivalves, like clams with
two hinged shells, and the univalves with one shell, such as whelks
and moon snails. Between the
two exists a never-ending battle
of predator and prey.
The clam for instance leads a
settled life filtering plankton
from seawater, while the whelk
is busily hunting him. Once
contact is made, the clam is
doomed, as the whelk uses its
own shell like a knife blade to
open and feed upon its victim.
Not all bivalves are as helpless.
Scallops swim well enough to
be considered the only migra-tory
bivalve. All that exercise
produces the very delicious,
prized muscle on your dinner
plate. Unfortunately, scallop
populations have been seri-ously
diminished by the overfishing of sharks. Sharks feed heavily on
rays, which are a major predator of scallops. With shark populations
in decline, rays have been free to nearly decimate scallop beds.
The moon snail has perfected a feeding technique of its own –
drilling a hole through the shell of its catch with the help of a drop
or two of acid. This could take hours, but what’s time to a snail?
Their success rate is indicated by all the washed up shells bearing a
single round hole. And don’t overlook the carnivorous habits of the
beautiful lettered olives that feast on the colorful coquina clams at
the surf’s edge. Their secret weapon is a paralyzing mucus.
Mollusks demonstrate a vari-ety
of life forms, perfectly
adapted to their watery
domain. They’ve evolved tac-tics
for survival in the seas
over hundreds of millions of
years, making them one of the
largest groups of animals on
Earth, second only to insects.
We’re far from knowing all
there is to know about sea
shell secrets and what lives in
the uncharted depths of the
world’s oceans, but a great
place to start might be a
storm-tossed winter beach.
Photo by John Mauser
Whelks, often misidentified as conchs, are relentless hunters. Clams are a favorite prey.
Sea Shell Secrets
By Mark Joyner, NC Aquarium Society
Clams - quahog (left), sunray
Venus (center), lucine
Lettered olives Coquinas feeding
Moon snail, also called shark eye
Carnivorous snail victims
Photo by Sherry White Photo by Wayne Justice Photo by Wayne Justice
Photo by Sherry White
(The original and lengthier version of this article appeared in the August 2008 issue of Wildlife in North Carolina.)
7
With the exception of Thanksgiving and
Christmas holiday weeks, visitor attendance
slows at the Aquariums in winter. Off-season
opportunities give visitors a chance to take part
in hands-on programs that often fill quickly
during summer months.
In-house programs, such as live animal presen-tations,
discovery classroom activities, live dives,
and animal feedings, are offered year round, and
are free with paid admission. Special Activity
programs, such
as birding trips,
craft programs,
seafood cooking classes, surf fishing workshops and winter
camps for kids are also available, and require advance registra-tion
and a fee.
To take part in a Special Activity at your favorite Aquarium, visit
ncaquariums.com and check the interactive calendar. It lists
details about each activity, and more information is available on
the Programs and Events page. Register as far in advance as
possible. For questions and to register, call your selected
Aquarium: Roanoke Island 252-473-3493 or 1-866-332-
3475; Pine Knoll Shores 252-247-4003 or 1-866-294-
3477; Fort Fisher 910-458-8259 or 1-866-301-3476.
Photo by Sherry White
Photo by Buster Nunemaker
Photo by Beth Wilcox Photo by Wayne Justice
Winter at the
Aquariums
8
For Aquarist Mike Suchy, gardening is a passion. It’s not surpris-ing,
then, that his love for growing things, combined with his
strong interest in coral reefs, spawned an intriguing project at
the Aquarium at Fort Fisher. By snipping fragments of existing
corals, mounting them on small disks and submerging them
under water with a light source, Suchy began “growing” coral.
“It’s much like taking a cutting from a plant and potting it up,”
said Suchy. “Light is of paramount importance to corals, and a
moving light source is more natural.”
Coral growth rates vary, depending on variety, but tend to be slow,
sometimes only a few inches a year. Reef-building corals contain
symbiotic algae within their tissues that convert light energy into
a food source. This helps provide sustenance for the coral colony.
Temperature, pH, and salinity need to be constant. “Sometimes it’s
difficult to explain why one colony thrives and another withers in
what appears to be identical conditions,” said Suchy.
Live coral reefs are among the most popular attractions in public
aquariums and offer an important educational opportunity. In today’s
world, climate change is a hot topic and coral reefs are one of the
habitats most greatly threatened.
“We received many coral colonies from other institutions when we
first started out, so it would be nice to return the favor,” said Suchy.
“If our efforts work, we can potentially supply coral to other aquari-ums,
and by sharing cultured colonies we can reduce the removal of
colonies from wild stocks.”
Overhead lights reflect off Aquarist Mike Suchy’s coral garden.
Temperature, pH, salinity and dedication are key elements to cultivating
this temperamental marine life.
Underwater
Gardener
By Amy Kilgore, Public Relations Coordinator
The Aquarium on Roanoke Island received a grant from the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for the new exhibit, Science on a Sphere:
Bringing the Oceans to You.
The innovative display features a 5-foot, spherical interactive Earth, with a focus
on storms, oceans, and how humans impact the planet. Visitors will see the
oceans in an entirely new light, as they dive to the sea floor, track hurricanes and
ride ocean currents.
Aquarium staff attended the "Science on a Sphere" conference, where they
viewed two spheres in action. They returned with many ideas on how to make
the new exhibit a special experience for Aquarium visitors. Be sure to check out
our Earth on your next visit!
Science on a Sphere
By Dia Hitt, Educator
Photo by Amy Kilgore
Photo by Rick Eller
9
The cast net flew from my hand, flared open and settled over the tar-get.
Seconds later, as I slid the net up on the beach, the catch was
revealed: a handful of small silvery mullet, some eelgrass and a tiny
blue crab. When the net was opened, the mullet flipped wildly on the
sand, but the crab scurried quickly on a sideways run for freedom.
No worries, we had our prizes. My granddaughter Blaize and I
responded immediately. I scooped up water in a small bucket and
she carefully put each of the fish into their temporary home. We
watched the fish and the other residents of our on-the-beach
aquarium. A few minutes earlier, at the edge of the surf, we had
excavated three mole crabs and a dozen coquina clams from the
damp sand. They were now living together in the bottom of a card-board
coffee cup.
While Blaize gazed intently into the containers and held one of the
mole crabs in her tiny hand, I shared a bit of information about each
of our specimens. Blaize listened and learned, and while I was talk-ing
she put the crab down on the beach. Digging furiously, it disap-peared
into the sand.
Suddenly her five-year-old attention span waned and she blurted,
“Papo, let’s let them go and look for shells.” Okay, it was time to
move on.
This is what the Aquariums do – every day – for so many people.
Whether it’s on the beach, in the salt marsh, in a classroom or in
front of a massive exhibit, Aquarium staff members bring animals
and people together. They capture the interest and imagination of
those who may not have had the opportunity to experience what
Blaize and I have come to take for granted. The Aquarium staffs have
a special gift and I appreciate their talents, dedication and enthusi-asm
for what they do so very well.
A mole crab is one of Blaize's finds at the edge of the sea.
A right whale passes near shore off Bogue Banks during an
“Onboard Collection Cruise.”
Edge of the Sea
By Joe Malat, Director, Aquarium on Roanoke Island
Photo by Joe Malat
Photo by Wayne Justice
Why are marine mammal strandings common events along our beaches?
The Aquarium at Fort Fisher teamed up with the Cape Fear Museum of
History and Science in Wilmington to address this question in the
informative series, “Ocean Perspectives.” The series was designed to
explore aspects of our local ocean from unique viewpoints.
The final program, “North Carolina’s Endangered Whales,” is set for
Dec. 9 at 6:30 p.m. in the museum’s Williston Auditorium. UNC-Wilmington
researchers and marine mammal experts, Ann Pabst and
Bill McLellan, will discuss whale migration and why our coastal waters
are a critical habitat for these threatened and endangered species.
The Dec. 9 program is free and open to the public. For reservations or
more information, call 910.798.4362.
Ocean Perspectives
10
Things were hopping at the Aquariums this summer – literally. The Aquariums
joined the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) in 2008 in celebrating “Year
of the Frog.”
The stars of the festivities were frogs, toads and salamanders. To spice things up,
the Aquariums included habitat neighbors, such as alligators, snakes and lizards.
More than 200 programs, including films, games, contests, live animal programs
and outdoor activities brought to light the antics and interesting facts about
these elusive animals.
In the science community, amphibians are known as an “indicator species” and
have been compared to canaries in the coal mine. Just as miners used sensitive
canaries to warn them of toxic gases in the mines, the absence or presence of
amphibians tells us much about the health of our environment. Possible extinc-tion
threatens many of the world’s 6,000 known amphibian species.
Turtles are some of the most popular animals at the Aquariums, and
the lesser known diamondback terrapin is no exception.
Smaller than sea turtles, terrapins are the only aquatic turtles in
North America to live in brackish marsh waters found in coastal
habitats along the East Coast. Two of the seven subspecies of terra-pins
are found in North Carolina – the Northern and the Carolina
diamondback.
Diamondbacks are well known for the beautiful markings on their
shells and skin. Their unique appearance makes them appealing as
possible pets, however, diamondbacks don't make good pets for
many reasons. They have specific needs, and more importantly, state
laws protect them as a “species of special concern.”
The exact number of terrapins in North Carolina is unknown. They
were once highly prized for their meat, and overharvesting caused a
severe decline in their numbers. Today, these charismatic animals
face new challenges. Many females are injured each year while
attempting to cross roads to lay eggs, and habitat destruction and
pollution are even greater threats.
Commercial and recreational crab pots are also serious problems.
Attracted by the bait, terrapins crawl into the pots. Because they are
Photo courtesy Emmett Westbrook, FotoFX
Photo by Claire Aubel
Year of the Frog
Diamondback terrapins were nearly brought to extinction a century
ago, when they sold for nearly a dollar an inch. Their sweet meat was
made into exotic soup.
Diamonds in the Rough
By Heather Broadhurst, Aquarist
air breathers, they drown when they are unable to get out.
Researchers are studying the effectiveness of Terrapin Excluder
Devices (TEDS) that can be added to crab pots to decrease terrapin
mortalities.
If you find a terrapin crossing a highway, relocate it to a marsh area,
which is probably nearby. And remember, helping keep waterways and
shorelines free of litter and pollution helps all coastal marine life.
11
The Aquariums’ efforts toward oyster
habitat conservation is going strong.
At the Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores,
the under-dock oyster gardening proj-ect
continues. It now serves as a live
education exhibit for Special Activities,
and as a support resource for university
researchers and citizen gardeners.
The project saw significant expansion in
June. Several staff members came out
for a morning of fun in the sun to create
a backyard oyster reef near the
Aquarium dock. Clean oyster shell
was deposited on shade cloth
to make an unsinkable sub-strate.
Live cultch – shell ma -
terial with live oysters attached
– was placed atop the clean
shells. Staff checked the reef
in July and found baby oysters, called
spat, had landed.
“The reef, along with our ‘portable oys-ter
reef in a basket’ hanging off the
dock, provides instant opportunities for
field education,” said Pat McNeese,
Aquarium conservation and research
coordinator. “We’re continuing to build
up the reef by depositing live oyster
clusters culled from our shellfish cages.”
Staff members also came together to
create the first-ever artificial
eco-disk oyster reefs. Four
eco-disks, which are large,
cement disks embedded
with cleaned oyster shells,
were placed along the
rock sill near the dock just
in time for spatfall. With
assistance from Discovery Diving and
Bogue Banks Marine Con struction, the
reefs were created using cement and
clean oyster shell.
Last spring, the Aquarium at Fort Fisher helped kick off an unusual
pilot program – “Amphibians in the Classroom.” The program
involved seven area schools and was designed to foster a sense of
environmental stewardship while creating a better understanding
of amphibians and the environment.
Southern toad eggs were collected in Watha, NC, and delivered to
classrooms. Aquarium education and aquariology staffs set up
small aquariums and talked with
youngsters about the life cycles of
toads and how to care for the devel-oping
young.
With assistance from their teachers,
plus an extensive fact sheet from the
Aquarium, students monitored the
development of their toady charges.
It wasn’t long before they were
watching tanks filled with wiggling
tadpoles! Eight weeks later, students
released their Southern toads in the
area where the eggs were collected.
”Collaboration and support among Aquarium staff, classroom
teachers, and state fish hatchery personnel in Watha made the pilot
program a success,” said Peggy Sloan, education curator at the
Aquarium.
Plans are under way to offer the program again next year, with
partial support from the Cherbec Advancement Foundation.
Reef Relief !
A ‘Toad-al’ Success
By Amy Kilgore, Public Relations Coordinator
Staff members Erica Alvarado (left) and Tia
Reigner shucked their uniforms to help cre-ate
an oyster reef in Bogue Sound.
Photo by Pat McNeese
Photos by Mike Spencer, courtesy of Star-News
Teacher Meghann Crow and students of Rachel Freeman School of
Engineering prepare to release their baby toads.
Tiny toads were returned
to their native habitat.
This summer, more than 70 middle school girls explored various careers in
marine arts and sciences in a day designed especially for them.
The Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores partnered with the NC Maritime Museum
in Beaufort to sponsor “Ocean Girls’ Day,” filling the agenda with programs to
introduce girls ages 10 to 12 to marine careers. Aquarium instructors, volun-teers
and women mentors from the local community led a wide variety of
indoor and outdoor activities for the participants and their chaperones.
The morning commenced with a career panel of women scientists, educators
and business owners, who gave first-hand accounts of their jobs in the field.
The girls also interacted with mentors from the local marine community at
career exhibit booths set up throughout the Aquarium. In the afternoon, out-door
activities included barrier island explorations and kayaking led by Pirate
Queen Paddling.
The event was sponsored in part by a grant from the Carteret Community Foundation, and modeled after the “Girls in Science Day” held
at the South Carolina State Museum. The day was designed to introduce young women to marine-related careers and promote the
Aquarium’s mission of inspiring appreciation and conservation of North Carolina’s aquatic environments.
12
An Ocean of Experience
By Laurie Streble, Outreach Coordinator
‘Show Us Your Fish Face’
Girls ages 10 to 12 got their feet wet in a series of activities
during “Ocean Girls’ Day.”
The Aquariums recently launched a new cam-paign
– ShowUsYourFishFace.com, a fun,
dynamic Web site created in partnership with
MSA, an ad agency based in Research
Triangle Park. Show Us Your Fish Face serves
as a memorable, self-perpetuating means of
directing fans to the hub of Aquarium news
and information.
The site invites viewers to submit photos of
their best fish faces, which are then rated
by other Web site visitors, for a chance to
win prizes sponsored by the Aquariums.
Participants will receive a Fish Face ID card
that can be redeemed for a prize at any
Aquarium. The site’s highest, most frequent-ly-
rated fish faces will be entered into judg-ing
for a monthly prize: an Aquarium gift
basket worth $25. Once a year, a Web site
visitor will win a beach vacation and free
family membership to the Aquarium of his or
her choice.
The goal of Show Us Your Fish Face is to pro-mote
the Aquariums in a unique and inter-active
way. Members may choose to receive
updates and e-newsletters, and will be
encouraged to invite others to the site by
emailing their own fish face creations. We
encourage you to check out the new site and
join the fun!
To submit your own fish face and spread the
word about this exciting new promotion,
visit ShowUsYourFishFace.com.
Photo by Nate Bacheler
13
A $5,000 grant will fund new interpretative signs on the
Hoffman and Roosevelt Trails at the Aquarium at Pine Knoll
Shores. The NC Trails Committee awarded the Aquarium
Society the grant from the NC Division of Parks and
Recreation Adopt-A-Trail Program.
The Aquarium requested the funding to provide visitors with
trail signs that promote understanding of the local environ-ment,
relationships to Aquarium exhibits, and the relationship
to other state and local trail units. Both the Hoffman and
Roosevelt trails are stops on the NC Birding Trail.
Durable new signage will highlight habitat features of the
maritime forest and marshes, as well as sights, sounds and
individual species visitors may encounter. The signs will also
replace hand-carried guides to the Hoffman Trail, reducing
waste and litter.
“The Aquarium Society’s willingness to act as grant applicant
for conservation projects has really helped our ability to
stretch precious conservation dollars and create effective
projects,” said Georgia Minnich, exhibits curator.
Happy Trails
Thanks to a grant, visitors will learn more about maritime forests on
walks along nature trails at the Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores.
Chelsea Finical, age 17
Jan Fahlbusch, age 14
Photo by Wayne Justice
As a member of Coastal America, the Aquarium at Fort Fisher was delighted to accept submis-sions
for Coastal America’s recent Ocean Art Contest. Some twelve other facilities collected
entries, totaling approximately 1,500 pieces overall. The Aquarium at Fort Fisher alone accepted
121 pieces of students’ work.
Of the 1,500 entries, three North Carolina students were se -
lected as national finalists. Winners were 14-year-old Jan
Fahlbusch of New Bern; 17-year-old Chelsea Finical of
Grimesland; and 8-year-old Ansley Nurkin of Charlotte. Their
work will be displayed at the Smithsonian’s National Museum
of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
Open to students from kindergarten through university levels,
the contest encouraged participants to use their creativity and
artistic talent to express the importance of our oceans, both
personally and globally. Guidelines required that artwork
reflect one of seven established “essential principles of ocean
literacy,” and include a narrative explaining the piece.
Categories were defined by grade levels, and regional winners
were sent to Washington, D.C., to compete nationally.
Young at Art
Ansley Nurkin, age 8
By Pat McNeese, Conservation and Research Coordinator
When it comes to research, you
can’t just wing it.
When an unusual butterfly species
inspired a scientific study, staff
members at the Aquarium at Pine
Knoll Shores took to nearby dunes
with nets and notebooks. They
joined NC State University (NCSU)
researcher Allison Leidner in con-ducting
a “mark and recapture”
study that could provide clues about
how beach development affects the
movements of a seldom-seen skip-per
(Atryptonopsis) butterfly.
Leidner has been studying a species
she calls the “crystal skipper”
(Atryptonopsis loammi), because it
appears to be unique to the Crystal
Coast. She’s been charting the
distribution and habits of this skipper in its preferred habitat on
Bogue Banks, including on Aquarium property.
Aquarium employees volunteered their time and joined NCSU stu-dents
to catch butterflies, label them with location numbers, and
record recapture locations during two spring weekends. The butter-flies
appear for about 30 days from mid-April to mid-May, and
again for about 30 days from mid-July to mid-August.
During initial observations, the crystal skippers seemed to move
across intact habitat and low-intensity development areas more
often than through areas of high-intensity development.
Properties with intact dune vegetation appeared to provide excel-lent
habitat for the skipper and its primary host plant, seaside little
bluestem (Schizachyrium littorale). This plant is currently being cul-tivated
from seed at the Aquarium for dune restoration projects
planned for the near future.
14
A special surprise awaited visitors dur-ing
Family Night at the Aquarium on
Roanoke Island this summer – particu-larly
if you were a baseball aficionado.
Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry made
a guest appearance and, to the delight
of fans, happily autographed baseballs,
bats and baseball cards.
In support of his friend of more than 50
years, Al Foreman, former major league
umpire, was also present. Perry and
Foreman exchanged verbal jabs, as
Perry complained that his strike zone
should have been bigger during their
playing days in the major leagues.
Perry won 314 games, pitched 3,534
strikeouts – and a no-hitter in 1968
against Bob Gibson of the St. Louis
Cardinals. He also won two Cy Young
awards, one in the National League, the
other in the American League. Foreman
said of Perry, “He’s been a great friend,
and he’s one of the best players I ever
had the pleasure to work with.” Perry
was inducted into the Baseball Hall of
Fame in 1991.
Celebrity Pays a Visit
By Buster Nunemaker, Public Relations Coordinator
Gaylord Perry (left) and Al Foreman enjoyed verbal jousting
during Family Night at the Aquarium on Roanoke Island.
Photo Buster Nunemaker
Aquarium staff members helped track the movements of a butterfly that might be unique to the
island of Bogue Banks, home of the Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores.
If It’s Not Habitat, Just Skip It!
By Pat McNeese, Conservation and Research Coordinator
Photo by Randy Newman, courtesy of NC Division of Parks and Recreation
A new addition to the Seahorse exhibit at
the Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores has
piqued the curiosity of visitors. The new
tankmate is a sargassum fish (Histrio
histrio), named for the seaweed in which
it hides.
Sargassum beds trail in large masses in
the Gulf Stream. This floating habitat is an
important refuge for many kinds of juve-nile
animals, including hatchling sea tur-tles,
and provides shelter and feeding
opportunities for many other creatures.
Sections of yellowish-rubbery sargassum,
complete with marine communities, are
occasionally blown into inshore waters.
These dislodged weed clusters sometimes
wash onto beaches, carrying their resi-dents
– marine snails, starfish, seahorses,
pipefish and even sargassum fish.
Sargassum fish are masters of camou-flage.
Their coloring and fleshy tabs blend
with the seaweed, allowing them to
ambush their food. These frilly fish meas-ure
on average a mere four-and-a-half
inches in length, but can reach as much as
eight inches in length. They are ambitious
hunters and sometimes try to consume
animals equal to their own size!
As part of the anglerfish family, sargassum
fish have an extra frilly appendage on
their head, called an illium, that can be
used to attract or lure prey. They also have
prehensile fins that help them anchor
themselves to the strands of sargassum.
Volunteers at the Aquarium at Pine Knoll
Shores leaped into action for a Year of
the Frog Amphibian Photo Contest.
Recognizing the wealth of talented pho-tographers
among its ranks, the volunteer
office sponsored the competition.
Volunteers waded through ponds, hiked
woods and followed the chorus of croak-ing
creatures in pursuit of a winning shot.
While the salamanders and newts eluded
them, several species of frogs and toads
were captured in beautiful photographs.
Kevin Geraghty of Emerald Isle took first
place with his Southern toad. Dick
Barmore of Arapahoe took second with
his green tree frog. Barmore also scored
an honorable mention for a pinewoods
tree frog, and Alex Houston of Beaufort
won an honorable mention for a cricket
frog at sunset.
Sometimes it’s hard to make heads or tails of marine creatures. This new sargassum fish
(right) faces its resident tankmate – a seahorse. Can you find the fish's eye?
Volunteer Coordinator Chris Carlin (left)
congratulates volunteer Kevin Geraghty.
New Tankmate
By Heather Broadhurst, Aquarist
15 Photos by Bob Griffin
Focus on
Amphibians
Tinker’s Butterfly fish
Bartlett’s Anthias
Kevin Geraghty captured a great shot
of a Southern toad.
Photo by Emmett Westbrook, Foto FX
By Chris Carlin, Volunteer Coordinator
Photo by Claire Aubel
Papahānaumokuākea National Monument,
designated in 2006, is one of the world’s
largest protected marine areas. The
Aquarium at Fort Fisher recently created a
new exhibit showcasing reef fishes from
these remote waters. Stretching 1,200
miles north of Hawaii, Papa hānaumok -
uākea contains 140,000 square miles of
pristine islands and reefs. More than half
the fish species found among the atolls
exist nowhere else.
Hawaii’s Fishes
16
The ocean is filled with fascinating creatures, and new species continue to be discovered around the world. See how much marine animal
trivia you know by taking the quick quiz below. Answers are at the bottom of the quiz.
1. This fish:
• is popular in aquariums because of its beautiful colors
• uses a long, sharp spine on its head to wedge itself into crevices
• is strong and aggressive, with well-developed teeth and powerful jaws
• feeds on mollusks, crustaceans and other ocean-floor animals
2. This fish:
• is named for its bovine facial features
• has a mouth on the underside of its body
• migrates long distances in huge schools
• has a venomous barb on its tail
3. This fish:
• is also called “convict” fish
• is known for stealing fishermen’s bait
• is often found around piers and docks
• has strong teeth for grinding and scraping barnacles from rocks and pilings
4. This fish:
• was first discovered off our coast 2000, far from its native Indo-Pacific waters
• has spines in its fins that carry painful venom
• lives at depths of 80-300 feet
• uses lightning-fast suction to inhale and swallow its prey whole
5. This fish:
• uses its tail to anchor onto sea grasses and permanent objects
• uses its small mouth to suck up minute crustaceans, such as tiny shrimp
• is much used in traditional Chinese medicine, depleting its wild populations
• transfers its eggs from female to male, which gives birth to the young
Answers: 1. Triggerfish Photo by Julie Powers
2. Cownose stingray Photo by Jim Lanier
3. Sheepshead Photo by Ricki Lipscomb
4. Lionfish Photo by Vlad Pambucol
5. Seahorse Photo by Emmett Westbrook
Name That Fish!
17
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or grandchildren under age 18) ___________________________$50
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MEMBER tote bag)__________________________$100
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10% discount on Aquarium rentals) _______________________$300
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____________________________________________________
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Society, 3125 Poplarwood Ct., Suite 160, Raleigh, NC 27604.
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Membership Application
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At the Aquarium at Fort Fisher, a cuttlefish flashes its vibrant colors for Kimberly Sams. The photo was a front-runner in the
NC Aquariums’ 2007 Amateur Underwater Photography Contest.