Watermarks

SUMMER 2018

FEATURING

DAWN OF A NEW DAY Our new Animal Care and Rescue Center opens 06

PLUS

Legacy Donors Give Gifts With Staying Power 10

Another Record-Breaking Turtle Rescue Season 04

FEATURING

THE ART OF ARTIFICIAL Creating One-of-a-Kind Corals 06

PLUS

One Family’s Support Takes Many Forms 10

A Floating Haven in the Harbor 04

FROM THE CEO

Here at the National Aquarium, our team works hard to create meaningful experiences for our members and guests. We offer dozens of opportunities for students from pre-K through college and their teachers to make the most of the Aquarium as an educational resource.

Our Conservation team leads hundreds of volunteers in community cleanups, habitat restorations and planting projects throughout Baltimore and the Chesapeake region.

As our scope and reputation have grown, so has our ambition to have the greatest positive impact possible for our guests, our community and our planet—

“When I look forward, one thing is clear: Together, we can accomplish anything.”

all while maintaining excellent welfare for all Aquarium animals.

With the recent opening of our new Animal Care and Rescue Center in historic Jonestown— just half a mile from our Inner Harbor campus— we are reinforcing our commitment to provide each of our animals with optimal care. Expected to house up to 1,500 animals at any given time, with space for animal rescue and rehab, exhibit

fabrication and staff, the Center’s unique design, state-ofthe-art features and uncompromising animal-first focus have set a new standard for the zoo/aquarium community.

The Center is both a testament to the highly individualized care our team devotes to each of the animals here, and a glimpse into the future of animals in human

NATIONAL AQUARIUM INC. CHAIR Marc Bunting IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR Thomas E. Robinson VICE CHAIR Jane W. I. Droppa EX OFFICIO Poetri Deal Donna Morrison John C. Racanelli Toby Thompson The Honorable Catherine Pugh LIFE DIRECTOR Frank A. Gunther Jr.

WATERMARKS CREATIVE CONTRIBUTORS

BOARD MEMBERS

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Kristin Zissel

Timothy J. Adams John Bremer Keith Campbell David Churchill Céline Cousteau Colleen Dilenschneider

care. Find out more about this important work on page 6.

Nancy Grasmick

Better yet, be among the first to visit in-person with special

Mohannad F. Jishi

members-only tours beginning this summer.

The Animal Care and Rescue Center exists because of the generosity of our donors and members. Your support

Robb Merritt Joseph Nigro The Honorable Stephanie Rawlings-Blake Jennifer W. Reynolds

fuels everything we do, and we are grateful. On page 10,

Enric Sala

you’ll meet some dedicated donors who are helping us

Shari Sant Plummer

secure our future while planning for their own. As members of the 1981 Legacy Circle, Tom Alburn, Patrice Boeke,

EDITORS Nabila Chami Megan Kowalski Kate Schmelyun DESIGN DIRECTOR Krista Gill DESIGNERS Helene Christman Dave Dundas PHOTOGRAPHERS David Coffey Theresa Keil Sean Lo Anastasia Tantaros

Chuck Tildon C. Elizabeth Wagner Edward Wiese

COPY EDITOR Chris M. Junior

Gary Bahena and Jeannie McCoy have elected to list the Aquarium as a beneficiary in their wills, ensuring that their commitment lives on and helps to sustain our shared vision for the future.

When I look forward, one thing is clear: Together, we can accomplish anything. That includes you! Thank you for the important part you play in making the National Aquarium one of the world’s finest!

A copy of the National Aquarium’s financial statement is available upon written request.

Documents filed in accordance with the Maryland Charitable Organizations Solicitation Act may be obtained from the Maryland Secretary of State. © 2018 National Aquarium Inc.

With warm regards,

— J ohn Racanelli PRESIDENT AND CEO

ACCREDITED BY 100% RECYCLED FIBER

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

FEATURES

IN EVERY ISSUE

DAWN OF A NEW DAY

AQUARIUM NEWS

MEMBER NEWS

OUR NEW ANIMAL CARE AND RESCUE

THE AQUARIUM CONSERVATION TEAM

CELEBRATE THE AQUARIUM’S BEAUTIFUL

CENTER MAKES ITS DEBUT, AND

SPENT A BUSY SPRING CREATING

NEW GIANT PACIFIC OCTOPUS HABITAT

MEMBERS WILL BE FIRST TO TOUR

CHANGE OUTDOORS.

WITH SOME FUN FAMILY-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES.

AND EXPLORE. 06

THE GIANT PACIFIC OCTOPUS ADAPTS TO A NEW HOME.

12

ANIMAL UPDATE

GIFTS WITH STAYING POWER FORWARD-THINKING DONORS ARE

WAFFLES THE RESCUED SEA TURTLE

ANIMALS ARE THRIVING INSIDE THE

PLANNING AHEAD AND MAKING A

RETURNS TO THE OCEAN.

AQUARIUM AND OUTSIDE AS WELL!

DIFFERENCE FOR YEARS TO COME.

02

13

10

ON THE COVER Blacktip reef sharks, seen in the Aquarium’s Blacktip Reef exhibit, can grow up to 6 feet long.

ABOVE The National Aquarium’s new Animal Care and Rescue Center is open, with tours exclusively for Aquarium members beginning soon.

PHOTOGRAPH BY SEAN LO

PHOTOGRAPH BY THERESA KEIL

EXPLORE MORE

01

VISIT AQUA.ORG

AQUARIUM NEWS

Volunteers Power Spring Conservation Nearly 2,000 hours of people power make a big difference.

BY KRISTIN ZISSEL National Aquarium members were among the more than

On the Eastern Shore in Snow Hill, Maryland, at our

580 citizen volunteers who donated 1,989 hours of hard

Atlantic white cedar tree planting event at Nassawango

work this spring to create cleaner, greener ecosystems

Creek Preserve on the Pocomoke River, 5,500 Atlantic

throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed at six events

white cedar saplings were planted in partnership with the

organized by the Aquarium Conservation Team (ACT).

Nature Conservancy and the Chesapeake Bay Trust. This planting is part of an ongoing restoration effort through

In cooperation with Baltimore County and the Chesapeake

the Aquarium’s Atlantic white cedar program, which

Bay Trust, events at Inverness Park in Dundalk, Maryland,

encourages students in Worcester and Somerset counties

and Cox’s Point Park in Essex, Maryland, saw the

to become environmental stewards.

Conservation team lead volunteers in the planting of over 35,000 wetland grasses, restoring a total of 2 1/2 acres of

From cleanups to planting events, getting our hands dirty

shoreline at the two sites. Wetland grasses provide critical

really does make a difference. In fact, after assisting in

habitat for animals and create a more resilient, durable

the creation of more than 500 native wildlife gardens

waterfront by preventing erosion.

around homes, churches, schools, businesses and parks in cooperation with our friends at the National Wildlife

Two events in April made a big difference in the health

Federation, we have helped turn Baltimore City into the

of Baltimore City waterways. Volunteers at our Project

largest Certified Wildlife Habitat in the Chesapeake Bay

Clean Stream event removed more than 18,000 pieces of

watershed area.

debris from the waterways around the Masonville Cove Environmental Education Center. At the Fort McHenry

LEARN MORE

Field Day event, woody debris and 26,000 pieces of litter

Please visit aqua.org/get-involved to learn how you can get involved in conservation efforts.

weighing nearly 10 tons—that’s the equivalent of about five compact cars—were collected and removed from the area around the waterfront.

BELOW Volunteers plant wetland grasses at Cox’s Point Park.

PHOTOGRAPH BY THERESA KEIL

WAT E R M A R K S

02

SUMMER 2018

AQUARIUM NEWS

New and Improved Octopus Habitat A cave-like space for the giant Pacific octopus at the National Aquarium.

BY MEGAN KOWALSKI Peer into the new Feeding gallery of the Surviving Through Adaptation exhibit on Level 3 and you’ll find yourself in a giant Pacific octopus’ lair, from the inside looking out.

It’s fitting that the giant Pacific octopus can be found in the Feeding gallery—these cephalopods are active, expert hunters. The octopus at the Aquarium consumes about 1 to 2 percent of its body weight every day, eating squid, herring, shrimp, mackerel and clams. It will often snag clams from the sea stars in the exhibit, keeping its body still while it stealthily stretches one of its sucker-studded arms toward a clam and snatches it away.

A project that’s been in the works since 2016, the new habitat is almost twice the volume of the former habitat and is modeled after a deep-sea cave off the coast of the Pacific Northwest. Octopuses are mostly solitary, so you’ll only find one eight-armed animal in the new habitat—but it’s not alone. The octopus shares its new home with short-spined sea stars, bat stars and, soon, ochre sea stars.

Octopuses are highly intelligent animals, and Aquarium staff stays busy keeping this cephalopod mentally stimulated. The octopus’ preferred enrichment item appears to be Easter eggs, but it will also interact with hamster balls, puzzles and jars. Soon, it will have more-realistic enrichment items, thanks to the Aquarium’s exhibit fabrication team, which is creating a replication of a Dungeness crab that it will get to hunt and open to access the food stashed inside.

LEARN MORE

Visit aqua.org/octopus-habitat

ABOVE AND OPPOSITE The Aquarium’s giant Pacific octopus exhibit allows guests a view of the underwater world from inside a cave looking out.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY THERESA KEIL (ABOVE) AND SEAN LO (OPPOSITE)

EXPLORE MORE

03

VISIT AQUA.ORG

AQUARIUM NEWS

Waffles’ Journey

Another record-breaking season for National Aquarium Animal Rescue leads to our largest release ever.

BY MEGAN KOWALSKI It’s not your average breakfast club.

In the single largest rescue turtle intake in the history of National Aquarium Animal Rescue, 30 critically endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles arrived at the National Aquarium in November. Among them was Waffles, the turtle nicknamed by National Aquarium members according to this year’s breakfast food naming theme.

Waffles and his peers stranded on the coast of New England as a result of cold-stunning, a hypothermic-like state that affects sea turtles when the water temperature drops below 50 degrees. Unable to swim, they become

WAT E R M A R K S

caught in the surf and wash onto the beach. Cold-stunning can result in a variety of health issues, such as pneumonia and blood chemistry imbalances, which can be deadly.

Once Waffles and his 29 fellow turtles arrived at the Aquarium in November, they underwent intake exams, which included a physical assessment, measurements and diagnostic testing such as blood tests, X-rays and ultrasounds. Staff also observed each turtle swimming in our hospital pool to see if they could dive and surface normally.

After the intake process was complete, Animal Rescue staff

04

SUMMER 2018

AQUARIUM NEWS

Conservation Commission to choose Little Talbot Island State Park, outside Jacksonville, as the release location.

began to implement the treatment plans provided by our veterinary staff, which typically include fluid and antibiotic therapy, and sometimes wound care. Rehabilitation usually takes three to six months of round-the-clock care from our team.

On April 18, Waffles and 35 other turtles—13 Kemp’s ridleys rehabilitated at the National Aquarium and 22 turtles from partner organizations—crawled back into the waters of the Atlantic in Animal Rescue’s largest release ever.

Initially one of the most critical patients in our care, Waffles was suffering from pneumonia, anemia, an elevated white blood cell count and decreased appetite when he arrived.

Thanks to the dedication of our team, Waffles began making strides in rehab and was cleared for release in March!

SUPPORT

Animal Rescue success stories, like Waffles’, are made possible through the generous support of our community of donors and members. Please visit aqua.org/donate to help us rescue, rehabilitate and release critically endangered animals.

When it’s time to pick a release site, our team works with federal and state agencies to select the best location. For the release of Waffles and the remaining breakfast crew members, this meant working with Florida Fish and Wildlife OPPOSITE Waffles, the rescued Kemp’s ridley turtle nicknamed by members, gets a helping hand.

ABOVE A sea turtle heads home during a National Aquarium Animal Rescue release in Florida earlier this year.

P H O T O G R A P H B Y D AV I D C O F F E Y

PHOTOGRAPH BY THERESA KEIL

EXPLORE MORE

05

VISIT AQUA.ORG

F E AT U R E S

A HOME FOR THE HEART OF OUR WORK: ANIMAL CARE AND RESCUE CENTER NOW OPEN

BY KATE SCHMELYUN There’s an area in the National Aquarium’s new Animal Care and Rescue Center where it takes more than an hour for the lights to come up in the morning.

“The lighting system is designed to mimic sunrise and sunset,” explains Center Manager Ashleigh Clews.

“It’s better for the animals than flipping a switch.”

This is just one example of the state-of-the-art equipment and thoughtful technology that sets the new Center apart.

This is where Aquarium staff provides comprehensive, individualized care for all off-exhibit animals. This includes new additions preparing to join an Aquarium habitat, as well as existing animals that need some training or attention. The Center also houses two seal rehab rooms, a habitat fabrication shop and saltwater production facilities, as well as a classroom and an enclosed overlook gallery.

Clews says, “I’ve been to a lot of

other aquariums’ off-site facilities, and I’ve never seen anything close to what we have here. Plenty of aquariums have similar spaces, and some are very nice, but for the most part, off-site is off-limits for guests.

As far as I know, we’re the first aquarium that will be giving tours of this space, so that makes this really unique and different.”

In January, Clews and her team of three aquarists and one herpetologist (who cares for reptiles and amphibians) started moving animals and splitting their time between the new Center in historic Jonestown and the old Animal Care Center in Fells Point. They’ve been working solely out of the new Center since May 1.

“We have always provided the absolute best care for the animals, but now it’s easier for us to do that,” Clews adds.

The Animal Care and Rescue Center faithfully re-creates multiple ocean ecosystems in the middle of Baltimore City, producing 15,000 gallons of salt

WAT E R M A R K S

06

SUMMER 2018

water each month.

Home to up to 1,500 animals at any given time, the pools provide space for species ranging from cardinal tetras to sharks, and greatly increase the capacity for off-exhibit and rescued animals. In the exhibit fabrication workshop, corals and other habitat elements are intricately handcrafted to re-create the world’s aquatic habitats.

Outside, the building features a colorful geometric mural that echoes the Aquarium’s distinctive exterior, a playful pattern of nautical signal flags.

The mural was planned by Aquarium designers and brought to life by Spectrum Studio artists, with help from neighborhood students from City Springs Elementary-Middle School.

OPPOSITE Third-graders from City Springs Elementary-Middle School in Jonestown helped create the public art mural on the exterior of the Center.

P H OTO G R A P H S B Y A N A S TA S I A TA N TA R O S

A HOME FOR THE HEART OF OUR WORK

EXPLORE MORE

07

VISIT AQUA.ORG

F E AT U R E S

“The Center will give students a behind-the-scenes look at how we care for our animals in a way not possible in the Aquarium itself.”

—JOE HARBER, DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION

MEMBERS, STUDENTS TO GET INSIDE FIRST

Want to be among the first guests

Even the Center itself, which is a

to experience the Animal Care

LEED-certified green building, is

and Rescue Center? Better be an

designed to be environmentally

Aquarium member.

friendly.

“Tours of the new Center will be

Additional tours with new themes

offered exclusively to members

will be added in the future. In the

through the end of 2018, with student

meantime, the Aquarium’s education

tours beginning in the fall,” says

team will begin offering tours for

Candice Canady, the Aquarium’s

school groups at the start of the

manager of tours and experiences.

2018-19 school year.

“It’s exciting; we’re going to be able to tell a different story than we’ve ever

“The Center will give students a

told before.”

behind-the-scenes look at how we care for our animals in a way not

Tours for members begin in July

possible in the Aquarium itself,” says

and will share the big picture of the

Joe Harber, director of education.

National Aquarium’s work while letting

“Each program will contain a hands-on

guests connect with the stories of

lab as well as a tour of the Center that

individual animals.

highlights real-world applications of the material covered in the lab.”

“There is so much that goes into setting an animal up for success—

Harber says that because of the

whether in an Aquarium habitat or,

kind of science that can be taught in

in the case of rescue animals, in the

the Center, the programs are being

ocean,” she says. “Our work is all

designed with students in grades

about creating environments that

6 through 12 in mind and will align

are safe for animals and protecting

with Next Generation Science

habitats.”

Standards (NGSS).

OPPOSITE Duncan, a map pufferfish, is off-exhibit at the Center while aquarists fine-tune his diet.

PHOTOGRAPH BY THERESA KEIL

Real Deal for Seals “It’s a dream come true.” That’s how Jennifer Dittmar, director of National Aquarium Animal Rescue, sums up her team’s feelings about the seal rehab area in the new Animal Care and Rescue Center.

The team put the space to the test this spring with the admission of three rescues—one harbor seal and two greys.

What makes the new rehab area so much better than the old one?

According to Dittmar, “We have a separate room for admissions and triage. Before, we had to do admit exams and triage in the enclosures; now we have plenty of space to do exams and radiographs.

“We can have animals at different stages of rehab since the rehab rooms are designed to reduce any risk of cross-contamination.

There’s no shared water or shared air, thanks to individual HVAC systems.

“Because seal rehab is a quarantine space, we have our own food prep area and our own staff shower and locker room, not shared with the rest of the building to eliminate the risk of cross-contamination to other animals.”

LEARN MORE LEARN MORE

Visit aqua.org/acrc-tour to sign up for members-only tours of the Center.

WAT E R M A R K S

08

SUMMER 2018

Visit aqua.org/donate to learn how you can help support the Animal Care and Rescue Center.

F E AT U R E S

GIFTS WITH S TAY I N G P O W E R Legacy donors give lasting support to the Aquarium’s mission.

BY KATE SCHMELYUN GARY BAHENA AND JEANNIE MCCOY

“Giving back is something we are supposed to do,” says Gary Bahena of Annapolis, Maryland.

His wife, Jeannie McCoy, agrees.

She says her parents instilled the importance of giving in her at an early age. “We didn’t have a lot of money, so the fact that my mother found a way to give to charity every month made a huge impression on me.”

Gary and Jeannie have put their values into action by supporting several local organizations through planned giving, including the National Aquarium.

simple process” that involved filling out a form and adding language to their will.

“I don’t believe in inheritance,” he says. “It’s always been our plan to leave our savings to charity, and it’s something we’ve worked hard to be in a position to do. We’re glad that the Aquarium will receive our largest single bequest and hope to be involved with the Aquarium for a very long time to come.”

TOM ALBURN AND PATRICE BOEKE

“We like to visit aquariums whenever we can in our travels, but the National Aquarium is the most impressive,” says Gary.

A love of scuba diving and a highprofile mutual acquaintance—Dr. Eugenie Clark, a pioneer in marine conservation and the study of shark behavior—are the ties that brought and bound Tom Alburn and Patrice Boeke of York, Pennsylvania, together.

Both he and Jeannie appreciate that the Aquarium is accessible to young children, but also engaging for older youth and adults. They say the Henry Hall program, which they support, Grade A Student Night and internships are evidence of the Aquarium’s commitment to youth.

Tom started diving with and assisting Dr. Clark in her research after hearing her speak at the National Aquarium.

Patrice was introduced to Dr. Clark by the owner of the hair salon they both frequented, and first joined Dr. Clark on a research trip to study whale sharks in the Sea of Cortez.

The couple have made a cash bequest to the Aquarium’s general operating fund, which Gary describes as “a

A few years and several research dives later, Dr. Clark introduced Tom and Patrice and a match was made.

WAT E R M A R K S

10

SUMMER 2018

They were married in 2003 in Fiji.

Because the ocean has played such an important role in their relationship, the couple decided to use their estate to help protect the place they love so much.

“The impact of human activities has got to be the number one threat to the ocean, so it’s important to increase public awareness of its beauty and value,” says Tom. “The National Aquarium does an excellent job helping people make a very real connection with ocean environments and animals.”

To support that work, the couple designated the National Aquarium as a beneficiary of their retirement accounts.

“We wanted our gift to be substantial, and it was an easy process to leave our retirement estate gift to the Aquarium,” says Patrice.

LEARN MORE

Visit aqua.org/support/gift-planning to learn more about the new National Aquarium 1981 Legacy Circle for planned giving.

OPPOSITE PHOTOGRAPHS BY THERESA KEIL

“We didn’t have a lot of money, so the fact that my mother found a way to give to charity every month made a huge impression on me.”

— JEANNIE MCCOY

“The impact of human activities has got to be the number one threat to the ocean, so it’s important to increase public awareness of its beauty and value.”

— TOM ALBURN

MEMBER NEWS

Our Outstanding Octopus Activities for the young—and young at heart!

DUMBO OCTOPUSES LIKE THIS LITTLE GUY ARE DEEP-SEA COUSINS OF THE AQUARIUM’S GIANT PACIFIC OCTOPUS. GRAB YOUR CRAYONS AND COLOR HIM IN!

USE THE BOLDED WORDS IN THIS OCTOPUS BIO TO SOLVE THE WORD SEARCH BELOW.

The National Aquarium’s Surviving Through Adaptation gallery received a major upgrade with the spring unveiling of our new giant Pacific octopus habitat.

Octopuses can be found in every ocean on Earth! Giant Pacific octopuses dwell in the shallow and deep waters of the Pacific Ocean, on the western coast of North America up to Alaska and southwest to Japan, as much as 2,500 feet beneath the surface. Other octopuses, such as the Dumbo octopus, are only found in the deepest parts of the ocean, at depths of up to 13,000 feet. The octopus is a mollusk, related to squids and snails. Like squid, the octopus is a cephalopod, which comes from the Latin words for head and foot since its feet—or arms in this case—are attached to its head. Its mouth includes a hard beak, used to break open tough prey such as crabs and snails, and is located on the underside of its body. It pounces upon prey, enveloping it in its inter-arm webbing. By drawing water into its mantle—the muscular structure that houses the octopus’ organs—and rapidly expelling it through a tubelike siphon, an octopus can jet itself backward, away from danger. When cornered, octopuses can emit a thick black ink, which confuses potential predators, giving the octopus a chance to escape. Speaking of disappearing, the octopus is a master of camouflage, instantly changing the color and texture of its skin to blend in with its environment as needed.

I

Q H Q I

C A B W H F W A

F

K N G W A Q A A N O

T

Z X

I

Y G C F O N K X

J S M F R K

M B E B V U

I

M F

K

P

Q

N

T

A

T

P

A D A M

S N A

E

U

R

E

E

I

P O Z F

B

X

U

C

F

U A

P H O N

F

O M

L

A

C

O

L

E

Z

O V

P

X

L S

I

I

P W E K Z F O Z E M A N T M O Y W I

L L

F N

T

J

L

E

U D A D N

L

Q C L

O K M F L A F F P

T G V L

G

S

C

K

E

F

E

C

K

C B

C A X F

H

S

D

E

I

X

T

T

G S X Q E C A E

N A T X

V

S

D

C

S

E

R

P C Q

I

N H

B

B

H N G

B

B

A

L

E

I

U A G

I

O K F D J B H H D P

D S C K F U G O A H

U

T Z O U C S K B

I

F

C B A L

G A G

A N

S W M A Y X L Q Y

I

R

R

H

Y V K O O F U C U

F X X

O

F

C G T

I

A W M D

F H F P R E

Q C L I

P

B

F

G N

R

S

L

N

T

P

P

Y

A

I

K

N

J

Z

K T W C Z K N D

C D R K

O

C

B W X

E

H E

X W P M B O R

D

B O

T

E

X

I

R S F Q K

X

N N

K W J O F D M B U D Z Q U

S

Y

I

U

J

H

R

Z

R W Q M

R L Y T T V R H

WAT E R M A R K S

12

SUMMER 2018

P F H U

G

A N I M A L U P DAT E

Meet Marmalade In March, we welcomed the first seal into our new-and-improved seal rehab area in the Animal Care and Rescue Center: a male grey harbor seal, nicknamed Marmalade. After being rescued from Ocean City, Maryland, Marmalade was diagnosed with pneumonia, parasitic infections and seal pox. During his time at the Aquarium, Marmalade responded well to treatment and recovered completely. He was released back into the ocean on June 7.

PHOTOGRAPH BY SEAN LO

NEW SHARK IN ATLANTIC CORAL REEF

The next time you’re descending through our Atlantic Coral Reef exhibit, keep an eye out for a new inhabitant: a female blacknose shark. These elasmobranchs are identifiable by—you guessed it—a characteristic black marking on the end of their snouts, which often fades as they age. With the addition of the blacknose, the total number of shark species you can see at the Aquarium is up to 12.

MAKE WAY FOR DUCKLINGS … AND A MUSKRAT!

Our floating wetland prototype continues to attract native wildlife back to the Inner Harbor! This past spring, a nest of mallard ducks hatched on the prototype, and National Aquarium staff observed a visiting muskrat for the first time. Check out the prototype, found in the channel between Piers 3 and 4, and see what types of wildlife you can observe!

INTRODUCING TILLY THE SKINK!

A new blue-tongued skink, nicknamed Tilly, is the newest animal you might meet during an Animal Encounter! Native to Australia, these reptiles use their bright blue tongues as a warning to potential predators.

ANIMAL HEALTH UPDATE: BAYLEY

We’re happy to report that Bayley, the youngest bottlenose dolphin in our colony, is gaining weight and showing improvements in her health after she began displaying signs of gastrointestinal distress in March.

PHOTOGRAPH BY SEAN L0

EXPLORE MORE

13

VISIT AQUA.ORG

501 East Pratt Street | Baltimore, Maryland 21202

Non-profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Baltimore, MD Permit No. 7625

INTRODUCING THE NATIONAL AQUARIUM 1981 LEGACY CIRCLE Our members and donors are the driving force behind everything we do.

The 1981 Legacy Circle is for donors who recognize the benefits of planned giving and want to have a significant, lasting impact on the National Aquarium’s mission—today and for years to come. Contact us to learn more about the simple process of including the Aquarium in your estate plans. aqua.org/support/gift-planning