C O N S E R VAT I O N FALL 2015
WHO YOU CALLIN’ A SHRIMP? The peacock mantis shrimp is mightier than you might think. Page 14
Strange Survival Skills of the Ocean’s Oddest Animals Page 16
Night at the Aquarium Page 20
AQUA.ORG B
D E PA R T M E N T H E A D
You’re Invited TO J O I N T H E N AT I O N A L AQ UA R I U M SOCIETY
We’re all making a mark on our planet’s future—make yours a powerful and positive one. Join a community of ocean advocates to demonstrate your commitment to the National Aquarium and to critical aquatic environments around the world.
To learn more, visit: aqua.org/membership/society or call 410-576-8678.
C WATERMARKS | FALL 2014
TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S
20
16 14 F EAT URE S
I N E V E RY ISS U E
16 AN OCEAN OF ODDITIES
2
FROM THE CEO
8 EDUCATION
The surprising quirks, adapta-
Aquarium CEO John C. Racanelli on
Student journals provide an insider’s
tions and abilities of our ocean’s
our role in our blue planet’s future.
look at our Henry Hall program.
most incredible inhabitants.
3 ANIMAL UPDATE 20 NIGHT AT THE AQUARIUM Our exhibits undergo surprising
Meet the newest members of the
10 BEHIND THE SCENES Discover the life within the Bay.
Aquarium family.
12 IN FOCUS
transformations after hours.
4 AQUARIUM NEWS
Aquarium board member Dr. Nancy
See what we’ve been up to this
Grasmick speaks on the power of
summer, and dive into Living
education to inspire change.
Seashore’s largest mural.
14 SPECIES SPOTLIGHT O N T H E COV E R
7 CONSERVATION We’re rebuilding Bay habitats and
Capable of seeing ultraviolet to in-
advocating for future conservationists
frared, the peacock mantis shrimp
at the Aquarium.
has one of the most complex sets of eyes in the animal kingdom.
The peacock mantis shrimp may be small, but it is mighty.
25 MEET OUR MEMBERS We asked members what inspired them to join the Aquarium family.
AQUA.ORG 1
FROM THE CEO
Each of us has our own set of challenges, and in the midst of them, the ocean’s problems can seem distant and insignificant. After all, many of us don’t witness the dramatic plight of the ocean firsthand, making it easy to ignore. But the fact is, we can’t exist without the ocean. It provides the air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink. Its problems should be top priorities for every one of us, as our own issues will become ever more complicated if we don’t tackle the threats facing our planet’s greatest asset. For individuals to truly make a difference—and each of us has a far greater capacity to do so than we often realize—they need a reason to care. We believe that caring comes from making a connection, and the National Aquarium does that every day. In fact, we welcomed our 50-millionth guest this year, as you’ll see on page 25. And, we’re constantly finding new and For individuals more effective ways to create connections. to truly make a As Aquarium board member Dr. Nancy difference—and Grasmick says on page 12, “Sometimes people … need more than just articulated each of us has a words. We need other ways to interact, far greater capacity and that’s the hands-on part that communicates so profoundly.” to do so than we Students in our Henry Hall program often realize—they illustrate exactly how powerful that kind need a reason of hands-on experience can be on page 8. Their journal entries reveal the lessons to care. learned from summer excursions exploring the Chesapeake Bay, canoeing on the Susquehanna River, observing sea turtles in Florida and researching Maine’s rocky coast. Of course, once each of us understands our connection to the ocean and our power to influence its future, the next step is action. In this season of giving, we hope you’ll consider investing in our blue planet—whether it’s making a thoughtful change to your daily routine, volunteering for a conservation event or making a donation to the National Aquarium in order to further our mission. Your investment in our life-giving ocean is an investment in all of us. Thank you for your continued support. On behalf of the entire Aquarium team, I wish you happy holidays. Sincerely,
NATIONAL AQUARIUM INC. EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS Robert E. Carter,
Chair
Jennifer W. Reynolds,
Immediate Past Chair
Timothy J. Adams Casey N.R. Brent Marc Bunting Keith Campbell David Churchill Colleen Dilenschneider Jane W. I. Droppa,
Vice Chair
Nancy Grasmick Frank A. Gunther Jr.,
Life Director
Mohannad F. Jishi Charles Knudsen III Donna Morrison Mark Mullin Joseph Nigro Marianela Peralta Charles A. Phillips J. Scott Plank,
Vice Chair
John C. Racanelli Diana Ramsay The Honorable Stephanie Rawlings-Blake Thomas E. Robinson Chuck Tildon III Tamika Langley Tremaglio,
Vice Chair
Jacqueline Ulman C. Elizabeth Wagner
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. © 2015 National Aquarium Inc. CFC #11251 MCC #4099 CCC #4099
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Amanda Forr EDITORS Melissa Marshall, Ashley Goetz CONTRIBUTOR Nabila Chami DESIGNERS Ashley Stearns, Aimee Swartz PHOTOGRAPHERS J. Bryan Barnes, Tracey Brown, David Coffey, Ashley Goetz, George Grall, Chris Mattle, Blair D’Anne Photography, Heather Moran COPY EDITOR Chris M. Junior
— John Racanelli Chief Executive Officer
ACCREDITED BY 100% RECYCLED FIBER
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ACNOI N MS AEL RU VP AD TA IO TN E
Check Out These Chicks! Two adorable fluffins—er, puffins— were born in our Sea Cliffs exhibit this summer! Penne hatched on July 6 after an incubation period of 37 days and was followed by Valjean, who arrived on July 11 after incubating for 42 days. Young puffins typically remain in their burrows under parental care for about six weeks before emerging to explore their habitat.
Loggerhead Sea Turtle
More Animal News
Caretta caretta In October, we sent our loggerhead charge, Smalls, to North Carolina for release and welcomed a new loggerhead hatchling to our facility. As a partner in North Carolina Aquarium’s Loggerhead Head Start program, we have been caring for and releasing juvenile loggerhead sea turtles since 2004. This new hatchling will be in our care for about a year. Once it has reached the appropriate health and growth milestones, it will be transported back to North Carolina for release.
New Atlantic Coral Reef Species Nearly 300 specimens were added to Atlantic Coral Reef in July, including a number of new species—a blue parrotfish, bottom-dwelling flying gurnard and spotted oceanic triggerfish, to name a few. Pigeon-Breeding Success Our female pied imperial pigeon— acquired in fall 2014 to encourage breeding in Australia: Wild Extremes—had its first hatchling this July. Horn Shark Joins Kelp Forest Mona, a horn shark from Mystic Aquarium, settled into her new home in the National Aquarium’s Kelp Forest.
Hosmer’s Skink
Egernia hosmeri While performing routine weight checks on the animal residents of Australia: Wild Extremes, animal health staff was pleasantly surprised by a baby Hosmer’s skink—the third of this species born at the National
Aquarium. Hosmer’s skinks are spiny-tailed crevice-dwelling reptiles found in the desert regions of Australia. They give birth to live young, as opposed to laying eggs, and can produce one to four babies at a time.
Visit aqua.org/blog to get up-to-date animal news, follow our animal rescue initiatives, go behind the scenes and more.
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AQUARIUM NEWS
In June, we welcomed 1,253 guests for Grade A Student Night. The event featured 4-D films, music, animal encounters, a special visit from the Orioles mascot and guidance from T. Rowe Price financial experts to help students and their parents plan for the future.Â
SUMMER SNAPSHOT It was a busy season here at the National Aquarium. Check out a few of the highlights.
Aquarium on Wheels students wrote a play about invasive species and performed it at numerous branches of the Enoch Pratt Free Library.
Our hammerhead shark was a hit at ArtScape! Artist Kasey Jones created the 16-foot sculpture, and festivalgoers brought it to life by weaving recycled plastic bottles through its frame!
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From animal quarantine to coral reef fabrication, every new exhibit the Aquarium opens gets its start at our Animal Care Center. In September, we were excited to invite National Aquarium Society members to explore the facility. Following a cocktail reception and opening remarks, guests were treated to an exclusive tour of the Animal Care Center led by our experts in animal health, life support and exhibit design.
More than 1,100 students, teachers and volunteers have joined us this year for cleanups, wetland plantings and habitat monitoring at Fort McHenry and Masonville Cove.
Our Ocean Exploration Stage at the Baltimore Book Festival featured authors, chefs and even a few animals.
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AQUARIUM NEWS
THE BIG PICTURE
The mural progresses to deeper waters, where a loggerhead turtle and mola mola feast on cannonball and moon jellies.
Living Seashore’s largest mural brings the food chain into focus. You may be able to touch the pulsing bell of a moon jelly or feel the bumpy back of a ray, but the guest experience in the Aquarium’s newest exhibit, Living Seashore, goes beyond touch. It’s also about sight. In developing the exhibit, the Aquarium recruited artist Jane Kim of Ink Dwell to produce three murals depicting the Atlantic coast. Ink Dwell is a San Francisco-based studio whose mission is to inspire people to love and protect the Earth, one work of art at a time. The progression of the murals through a coastal ecosystem, from the sand dunes to deep water, echoes their progression of artistic style. The upper beach is depicted as a classic diorama, followed by a traditional painted mural where silhouetted people explore the shoreline. That transitions into Kim’s paper mosaic technique, which can be seen in the exhibit’s largest mural, the Diversity Wall. The Diversity Wall depicts the Gulf Stream food chain. On the left, a striped bass follows a fishing lure. A school of Atlantic menhaden tries to dodge an eastern brown pelican at the surface while evading other predators of the deep. The texture and relief of the paper fish were intended to complement the tactile nature of the exhibit. Under-painting was key to the process. A shadow school of menhaden was painted first to give depth before the paper fish were added. Toward the center of the piece, you’ll spot a pod of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins and a collection of cownose rays swimming through plankton. A hammerhead shark circles below. To learn more about Living Seashore, visit aqua.org/livingseashore.
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Each fish depicted in the school of menhaden required hundreds of hand-cut strips of paper.
Three sets of blue ribbons flow across the wall, representing the thermocline of the Gulf Stream. They were visually inspired by the aesthetic of sheet music.
C O N S E R VAT I O N
Mastering Education A plan to offer master’s courses at the Aquarium is in the works.
The National Aquarium took its education efforts Down Under this summer when Director of Education Programs Joe Harber helped facilitate a graduate course in Queensland, Australia. The course—themed around the ecology and conservation of the Great Barrier
BACK FROM THE BRINK
Important island habitats are rapidly disappearing from the Chesapeake Bay, and the National Aquarium is working hard to keep one alive.
Reef—was part of Ohio-based Miami University’s Global Field Program, which brings master’s degree candidates, scientists, educators and community leaders together at conservation hot spots
Poplar Island was once a thriving 1,000-acre community in the Chesapeake Bay but following years of steady erosion was reduced to just 4 acres. By the mid-’90s all that remained were several small islets rising just above the water’s surface. Its disappearance seemed imminent. Rather than let Poplar Island vanish, federal and state environmental agencies stepped in. With the use of dredge material, the island is being returned to its original footprint. In 2005, the Aquarium joined their efforts. Rivers that empty into the Chesapeake Bay steadily deliver silt, which eventually settles and accumulates on the bottom. To allow ships safe passage into the Port of Baltimore, the sediment is annually dredged and removed from those channels. But where does it go? Poplar Island proved the perfect repository for that dredge material. Using sand, rock and stone, engineers constructed containment dikes around what few marshy knolls and tidal mudflats remained of the island. Silt taken from the port is deposited within those containment cells and allowed to drain. As it dries, the sediment forms a solid foundation. Ditches are dug to function as tidal creeks within the newly forming marsh, and a spillway is opened to allow tidal waters to flow over the landscape. Finally, thousands of individual Bay grasses are planted by hand in the soil. Partnering with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Maryland Port Administration and
around the world. Harber’s involvement allowed the National Aquarium to explore the possibility of joining the program. Currently, eight zoos around the country offer master’s courses through Miami University, giving students the option of earning a degree in biology or teaching in the biological sciences. They’re considered
Maryland Environmental Service, the Aquarium is helping lead the effort to restore Poplar Island by planting those native marsh grasses. Since the work began, the Aquarium has planted 268,950 native grasses with the help of 716 volunteers. That’s more than 12 acres of restored habitat. The grasses ensure added site stability, reduce the potential for erosion, act as natural water filters and provide critical habitat for wildlife. Iconic Bay species—such as ospreys, herons, crabs, black ducks, muskrats and egrets—can be seen roaming the island. Terrapins even utilize its sandy shoreline as new nesting ground. The project recently won an Innovation in Sustainable Engineering Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers. By the time Poplar Island’s restoration is complete, more than 1,700 acres of wetland and upland wildlife habitat will be returned to the Chesapeake Bay. For more on Poplar Island and how you can get involved, visit aqua.org/conservation.
Advanced Inquiry Program Institutions, and the National Aquarium hopes to become one in 2017, making it the first U.S. aquarium to do so.
Through the Advanced Inquiry Program, students would be required to earn more than half of their graduate-level credits through classes taught at the Aquarium. Students enrolled in the program would also have the option to integrate international field study into their coursework by choosing to earn additional credits from Earth Expedition courses in Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas. To learn more about the Aquarium’s potential involvement in this program, please email Joe Harber, director of education programs, at jharber@aqua.org.
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E D U C AT I O N
DEAR JOURNAL Students in our Henry Hall program chronicle their experiences. Some lessons are better taught outside of the classroom. That’s exactly what students discovered this summer after spending a week exploring the Chesapeake Bay, canoeing on the Susquehanna River, observing sea turtles in Florida and researching the rocky shorelines of Maine. Part of our Henry Hall program, these excursions give Baltimore City Public School students the chance to explore the aquatic world through hands-on activities and outdoor adventures. We combed through our recent participants’ journal entries to find out what they encountered, enjoyed and gained from the experience.
WRITE A POEM, SONG OR RAP THAT DESCRIBES YOUR EXPERIENCE DURING THE NIGHT HIKE.
On the night hike Where the stars dance And the moon stands by my side On the night hike When the earth is silent And the air feels alive On the night hike
—Alexis, 13
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WHY DID YOU SIGN UP FOR A HENRY HALL CAMP?
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE ACTIVITY AND WHY?
WHAT DID I LEARN ABOUT MYSELF ON THIS TRIP?
I signed up for Henry Hall because
My favorite activity was snorkeling
I learned I have the capability to
my older sister was also in Henry
because it was my first time and it
impact the environment from my
Hall, and I always loved her stories,
was fun getting to see all the animals
own home and in turn help preserve
so I wanted to see for myself.
in the water.
the Susquehanna River.
—Attiya, 15
WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO LEARN FROM THIS EXPERIENCE?
—Chenille, 14
HOW DID YOU FEEL ABOUT THE CANOE TRIP?
—Mercedes, 15
WHAT DOES THE HENRY HALL PROGRAM MEAN TO YOU?
I hope to learn how the people of the
It was challenging, but very fun. I’m
It means being able to travel and
world can help to save the ocean.
proud of myself for what I did today.
get experiences that I would never
—Larson, 14
—Jhennel, 16
be able to have without it. It has given me lifelong experiences that I will never forget.
—Asya, 16 LIST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SAW AND DID AT THE LOGGERHEAD MARINE LIFE CENTER.
HAS THIS PROGRAM AFFECTED YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT A POSSIBLE FUTURE CAREER?
ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
Saw a green turtle, saw a logger-
Yes. Computer science—helping
I just want to thank all those
head turtle, learned the difference
build something that will help
who made this program possible.
between a green and loggerhead
the ecosystem.
It has really opened up a lot of
turtle, diagnosed a fake turtle.
—Ayanna, 15
—Zion, 16
opportunities, and it has been a great experience.
—Ameera, 16
The Henry Hall program is made possible through philanthropic donations from generous individuals and organizations. To learn more, please call 410-576-8834 or visit aqua.org/donate.
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DE H PA B I NRDT M TE HN E TS H CE A ND ES
HIDDEN IN THE HARBOR
BIOLOGY OF A BIOHUT Sometimes the simplest designs prove most effective, and the Biohut is a prime example. Its modest two-cage
Aquarium Biohuts support life in the Chesapeake Bay.
system functions as an artificial aquatic
BY ASHLEY GOETZ
ecosystem. It replicates the ecological function of an oyster reef—a habitat historically abundant in the Chesapeake Bay. Oyster shells line the Biohut’s inner cage, while the outer cage is left empty. It’s then placed in the water. The shellfilled cage provides food, habitat and a hard substrate for organisms to attach and grow, including living water filters like mussels and barnacles. Meanwhile, the Biohut’s empty outer cage provides a safe haven for juvenile species seeking refuge from larger predators.
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B
altimore’s Inner Harbor is a biologically rich environment aswarm with life. Sometimes less abundant in these urban waters is the habitat to provide animals with food, sanctuary and other life-sustaining resources. As industrialization progressed and the city developed, brick and mortar took the place of tidal mudflats. Shorelines evolved alongside a bustling shipping industry, their gradual slopes replaced by the smooth, vertical bulkheads that now line the water. As Bay habitats were incrementally lost, so were some of the ecosystem services they provided, including water filtration, nutrient uptake, shelter and nourishment. Last year, in an effort to restore lost habitat, the Aquarium partnered with ECOCEAN and Biohabitats to install 18 Biohuts in the Inner Harbor and at Masonville Cove. Attached to bulkheads in the water, the Biohuts act as underwater nurseries. The oyster-filled cage attracts rapid colonization by microorganisms. It’s also seeded with spat, or juvenile oysters. Oyster larvae require a hard surface to grow, so shells are an ideal place to settle. Filter-feeding oysters pump water through their gills, cleaning it in the process by trapping sediment and harmful contaminants. The empty outer cage of the Biohut serves as shelter, providing a predator-free zone for small fish. “These Biohuts are really quite simple but very effective. They are just one example of the innovative ways that the Aquarium works to improve the health of the Inner Harbor,” explains National Aquarium board member David Churchill, chief operating officer at Brown Advisory, a funder of National Aquarium conservation programming. An underwater camera captures activity in the Biohuts each week, allowing staff to monitor changes. Once a month, a few are temporarily removed from the water for dissection. Staff and volunteer observations serve as a baseline to better understand species diversity and abundance in the harbor. Their findings are documented and added to the Maryland Biodiversity Project’s database, which aims to promote conservation by building a community that studies nature through cataloging Maryland’s native wildlife.
OY S T E R S A single oyster can filter more than 50 gallons of water per day.
AMERICAN EEL
Biofilms (bacterial colonies that
The small oyster reef animals
form a layer of slime) and algae
that visit the Biohuts provide
grow on oyster shells, providing
food for larger predatory
food for small fish, mud crabs,
fish, such as the snake-
grass shrimp and more.
like American eel.
BLUE CRAB These staples of the Chesapeake Bay will feed on almost anything they can find, so the Biohuts’ variety of oysters, small crustaceans, fish and more make it an ideal place to dine.
COPEPODS At the base of the food chain, these tiny, free-floating crustaceans are critical to the Bay’s ecosystem.
STRIPED BASS Maryland’s state fish is a frequent Biohut visitor. It feeds on the small fish and invertebrates found around oyster reefs. In turn, the striped bass provides a meal for other large fish, birds and even the occasional shark.
WHITE-FINGERED MUD CRABS Mud crabs feed on small crustaceans, using their front claws to crack open shells. They’re a food source for larger predatory animals, including the blue crab and striped bass, promoting healthy populations.
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IDNE PFA ORCTUMSE N T H E A D
An Inspiring Environment for Learning Aquarium board member Dr. Nancy Grasmick on the power of education to inspire change. f you want to change the world, Dr.
“I LOVE THE FACT THAT
Nancy Grasmick recommends starting with an elementary student near you.
OUR CHILDREN CAN BE
Having devoted her life to the field of education—passionately advocating for
AN INTEGRAL PART OF
students as first a teacher, then a principal, supervisor, associate superintendent for
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Baltimore County Public Schools and eventually state superintendent of schools
[AT THE AQUARIUM].”
for the state of Maryland—Dr. Grasmick knows better than most what’s possible. Throughout her storied career, she’s
— DR. NANCY GRASMICK
proven that she’s open to thinking differently, inside and outside of the classroom. She believes children really are our best hope for the future, and she’s spent her life ensuring that students have the tools to make a positive difference. It is because of her belief in students’ ability to inspire change that during her tenure with the state, Dr. Grasmick helped to pioneer environmental standards in the school curriculum. This groundbreaking effort caught the international attention of the World Future Council, an organization committed to passing on a healthy planet and just societies to young people with a focus on identifying and spreading effective policy solutions. In fact, Maryland’s 2008 Environmental Literacy Standards just won the 2015 Future Policy Silver Award, a major nod to Maryland’s forward-thinking approach. Dr. Grasmick’s vision includes a unique blend of traditional educational opportunities combined with early childhood access to hands-on experiences with the ultimate goal of affecting behavior change from a young age. Here, in her own words, Dr. Grasmick shares her view on environmental education for today’s Maryland youth—and how the National Aquarium is a part of it.
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“I never intended to go into education, but when I was a student in high school, I lost my hearing for a substantial period of time. I was very social at that age, and not being able to communicate in the same way was very challenging for me. I became obsessed—not fascinated, but obsessed— by the story of Helen Keller and her teacher, Anne Sullivan. I determined then that I was going to be the new Anne Sullivan, and a teacher was born. Throughout my career, I always had a special passion for children with disabilities and wanting students not always to learn in the traditional way—with the teachers delivering and the students receiving—but instead thinking about what the larger community has to offer and leveraging that to complement traditional learning. I’m extremely passionate about STEM education; it really is exposure to new ideas and early opportunities to be hands-on that stimulate children to want a career in that arena. This happens in the formative years. Young learners don’t have the inhibition of adults or even high school students. They don’t have any inhibitions at all! They can fully engage in the experience.
In the latter part of my tenure as state superintendent, we worked with the Department of Natural Resources and many individuals committed to conservation issues throughout the state to create environmental standards for students as a mandatory part of the curriculum. It was really an a-ha moment. Maryland became the first state in the nation to have these very solid environmental standards. As an extension of that effort, I see the Aquarium as being a centerpiece of Maryland’s commitment to the environment through its role in providing children with opportunities to experience the natural world. I’ve always had a great admiration for the National Aquarium, even before I was approached about joining the Aquarium Board. I love the fact that our children can be an integral part of what’s happening there. It’s something students take with them, and it defines their perception of conservation and protection of the environment—so many points come alive for them. Through my own experience, I’ve become very sensitive to the fact that sometimes people—and it’s not just those who are hearing-impaired—need more than just articulated words. We need other ways to interact, and that’s the hands-on part that communicates so profoundly. If our goal is to help students realize our obligation to our environment, then utilizing real-world experiences to expose them to the natural world can create a deeper understanding that is sustained and will inspire future behavior.”
To support the National Aquarium’s education programs, please call 410-659-8535 or visit aqua.org/donate.
Photographed by Heather Moran
C O N S E R VAT I O N
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SPECIES SPOTLIGHT
WHO YOU CALLIN’ A SHRIMP? Don’t be fooled by its colorful façade and small stature: The peacock mantis shrimp is no featherweight. BY ASHLEY GOETZ
A
dorned in radiant blues, greens and reds, the peacock mantis shrimp is not your average crustacean. About 400 species of mantis shrimp scour the sea, and the peacock is arguably the most vibrant. But an ostentatious appearance isn’t this animal’s only quirk. Even more impressive is its pair of powerful raptorial appendages, similar to those of its namesake—the praying mantis. The two hammer-like forelimbs have a strike so fierce they would give Thor a run for his money. Found throughout the Pacific and Indian oceans, the mantis shrimp is a voracious predator. In just three milliseconds, it delivers a blow that pulverizes its prey. “Their punch could break glass, depending on their size and the size of their enclosure; and if they hit you, it could open your skin all the way down to the bone,” says aquarist Katie Webster, who cares for the National Aquarium’s mantis shrimp. “They’re known as thumb splitters.” Luckily, she’s never experienced that danger firsthand. In fact, Webster almost never has to place her hand in the water. Observing the mantis shrimp’s behavior helped Webster design special precautions for feeding and cleaning its exhibit. She attaches the mantis shrimp’s food to a short pole before placing it in the water. If the shrimp doesn’t bash the food, he’ll simply grab it with a second pair of appendages. But Webster says he can be a picky eater. “I have given him a clam before, and he literally just picked it up and threw it at the
window. He didn’t even really want the meat at all,” she describes. Since learning of the mantis shrimp’s distaste for clams, she sticks primarily to a diet of fish and shrimp. In the wild, mantis shrimp typically feed on gastropods, crabs, mollusks, small fish and shrimp, but they won’t shy away from a larger meal. “They have even been seen fighting and eating octopuses,” Webster says. “They’ll go after things that are bigger than them— whether or not they are actually successful at capturing them is the question.” After the wear and tear of delivering about a thousand bashes to unsuspecting prey, a mantis shrimp molts, shedding its armored exoskeleton and often hiding the remains. “It could be that they don’t want predators to know they have a softer body,” Webster says. While the new shell does require time to set, the animal never loses its brilliant colors. The mantis shrimp’s eyesight is also something of a marvel. It possesses a visual system unlike any other. Every color humans perceive is a combination of three color receptors: red, blue and green. With those, we can see approximately 10 million different colors. Now imagine instead of three, you had a mantis shrimp’s 12 to 16 receptors. They can detect light from near-infrared to ultraviolet, a much greater range than our visible spectrum. Colors allow us to visualize contrasts and interpret details in our environment. The mantis shrimp’s brain encodes color in an entirely new way, allowing it to more swiftly scan its surroundings and process information to identify potential predators or prey.
C O N S E R VAT I O N
THE FORCE
THE HEAT
THE LIGHT
Mantis shrimp punch with the
Their strike is so swift it
The force of those bubbles
speed of a .22-caliber bullet.
boils the surrounding water,
collapsing can stun prey and
With just one-tenth of their
creating small pockets of
produce temperatures so hot
force, a human could launch a
air—a process known as
they emit tiny bursts of light,
baseball into orbit.
supercavitation.
called sonoluminescence.
AQUA.ORG 15 AQUA.ORG   15
Fins, gills, shells and scales aren’t the only things that distinguish sea creatures from some of their land-dwelling counterparts.
Aquatic animals have an array of odd adaptations and strange survival tactics that allow them to thrive in an underwater world. Some can detect electrical impulses in the water or change the very nature of their skin. Others have incredible eyesight and super strength. There are those species that change genders or carry their young in their mouths, and stranger still, those that can
S
light up the deepest, darkest corners of the ocean at will. More than 200,000 marine species inhabit the Earth’s ocean—and those are just the ones we know about. With that many species swimming, diving, darting or floating around the sea for millennia, it’s no wonder they’ve developed some pretty unbelievable adaptations.
A Sixth Sense
harks owe at least part of their
emits a small electrical charge. Sharks can sense
hunting prowess to the lateral line—
the faint voltage of a nearby fish. They use those
a complex system of sensory organs
electrical impulses and slight water disturbances
found in fish and other aquatic vertebrates that detects movement in the surrounding water. It’s a deadly combination when paired with
to orient themselves toward prey before striking. In other words, a shark doesn’t need to see a meal to track its movements. Other fish also have
the ampullae of Lorenzini, a sensory organ that
the lateral line to thank for their ability to school.
allows sharks to perceive electrical impulses.
It especially comes in handy for species like the
When a living organism contracts a muscle, it
blind cave fish that don’t have the luxury of sight.
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C O N S E R VAT I O N
Complex Camouflage
I
n an ocean full of predators, the fight-or-flight
response probably kicks in quickly. But what if
Chromatophores
it’s faster to hide? A few
are specialized cells just
masters of disguise have
below the skin’s surface.
discovered how to disappear
They contain pigments that
in plain sight.
give an animal its color.
Some cephalopods, such as octopuses and squid, can change color in the blink of an eye, stealthily concealing themselves from predators or, in some cases, staking out prey. Thousands of chromataphores, specialized cells found just beneath the skin’s surface, give them this color-changing capability. A small sac of pigment at the center of each chromatophore is expanded or contracted to alter the animal’s appearance. Some
Tough Tails
T
he tail of an animal that can grasp, hang or hold onto an object is known as prehensile. In most cases, prehensile tails are cylindrical—
think monkeys, anteaters and chameleons. But if you took a cross section of a seahorse’s
species have even more specialized cells that can
prehensile tail, you’d notice something different:
mirror their environment.
It’s square. And while the tail is heavily armored
An octopus can also modify the texture of its
with skeletal plates, muscles attached to the
skin to mimic its surroundings. Dynamic muscles
vertebral column ensure it remains flexible,
create bumps, spikes and ridges across the surface
allowing the seahorse to firmly grasp and anchor
of its skin—or just as quickly turn it silky smooth, reducing drag for a quick escape.
its body to sea grasses, mangroves and corals. This design makes a seahorse’s tail exceedingly strong. In fact, the tail is so impressively strong that engineers are studying its construction as inspiration for robotics and biomedicine.
The lateral line along the body of this fish can be seen between its scales.
AQUA.ORG 17
Luminous Light
Role Reversal
F
rom firefly squids and anglerfish to clusterwink snails and comb jellies, the deep, dark twilight of the ocean is surprisingly
bright. There are glowing crustaceans, squids that glimmer, flashing fish and sea worms that spark. There’s even a shrimp that expels a biolumi-
change their sex. Some transition from male to female, others from female to male and
on the rare occasion both. The clownfish is a great example; each is born male with the ability to transition to female.
nescent cloud when under attack. It’s estimated
Typically, only one female inhabits a clownfish
that between 80 and 90 percent of deep-sea
community and is paired with a breeding male. If
creatures can create their own light from
anything should happen to the dominant female
energy produced by chemical reactions. The benefits vary between species. Light can act as a warning to predators or, conversely, like a moth to a lantern, can be used to lure prey. Sometimes,
M
fish, the breeding male transitions to female, while the rest of the group remains poised to take his place at the head of the pack. Clownfish find refuge within sea anemones, a species toxic to most other animals. Their immunity to the anemone’s sting means shelter in a sea of predators, like the barracuda or other large fish that might make them a meal. With danger lurking just outside, clownfish
it’s simply the
rarely stray far from home. The simple swap
best way to
from male to female eliminates the need to head
communicate
out in search of a new alpha female, ensuring no
in the dark.
clownfish has to venture into unknown territory.
Paternal Parents
ost people know that male seahorses carry
the eggs and give birth, but they aren’t the only proud papas. Paternal parenthood is a pretty common practice out there in the big blue. A piece of spine
I
t’s not uncommon for aquatic animals to
Many animals conceal their eggs by hiding
Strange Sight
S
ea creatures see things a little differently than those of us on land. Sea urchins, for example, have no eyes—perhaps because
they see with the entire surface of their bodies. They have more than 1,400 tube feet on their undersides for movement, and two groups of light-receptor cells rest at the base and tip of
protrudes from
or burying them, but some fish aren’t willing
each tube. Scientists believe the urchin’s tube
the head of this
to take that risk. Instead, they’ll keep the eggs
feet mimic retinas, which soak up light, while
inside their mouths, protecting them until they
the spines that cover them act as light-blockers,
hatch—sometimes for weeks at a time.
similar to the pigmented cells that you would
frightening female anglerfish. At the tip is a light used to lure unsuspecting prey.
And in many cases, like the bangaii cardinalfish, the males are the ones with their mouths
Then, there’s the Pacific barreleye, a fish
full. They carry the eggs for about 30 days until
whose tubular eyes rest inside its transparent,
they hatch, all the while sacrificing their own
fluid-filled head. The eyes are capped with
diet, feeding rarely if at all.
bright green lenses and generally point straight
While this method may mean fewer off-
18 WATERMARKS | FALL 2014
find in the eyes of most other animals.
up, so this deep-sea fish can search for food
spring (after all, a fish can only fit so many eggs
above its head. Once the barreleye has homed
in his mouth), it’s certainly upped the ante when
in on its prey, its eyes can rotate forward to
it comes to surviving that delicate first life stage.
follow and nab its next meal.
C O N S E R VAT I O N
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D E PA R T M E N T H E A D
• NIGHT AT THE •
AQUARIUM Our animal residents exhibit different behaviors once all the guests are gone. BY MELISSA MARSHALL
The whale skeleton hanging from the ceiling of Blue Wonders never comes alive, the golden lion tamarins don’t taunt our security guards and all of our animals are, well, already living. But while the National Aquarium may not experience as extreme a transformation as the fictional residents in “Night at the Museum,” a noticeable shift happens after the last guest exits the building. As John Seyjagat, curator of our Australia: Wild Extremes exhibit, describes it: “It’s the most beautiful place to be.”
20 WATERMARKS | FALL 2014
C O N S E R VAT I O N
AQUA.ORG 21 AQUA.ORG 21
D E PA R T M E N T H E A D
TAKING OVER THE TERRAIN Doves in Australia: Wild Extremes reclaim the exhibit at night, cooing and carrying sticks to their nests. They’ll join numerous other bird species on the ground, overtaking the exhibit pathways that were occupied by humans just hours earlier. “The birds are hanging around on the little branches right over your head,” Seyjagat says. “And all you have to do is sit there and the doves are all over you.” Our Aussie residents aren’t the only nightcrawlers. Security Supervisor Bernie Smith says “everything is crawling on the ground” in Upland Tropical Rain Forest once the sun goes down.
LATE-NIGHT LIMELIGHT Some of our more elusive residents ditch their hiding places in the evenings to take a more visible position within their exhibits. “Because of the scarcity of movement, people and noises, the animals come back out at this time of day,” Seyjagat says. In Upland Tropical Rain Forest, several late-night staff members have been lucky enough to witness the sloths moving around. Nocturnal by nature, our Linne’s two-toed sloths are more active at night—but not for long. These shockingly sedentary mammals can sleep up to 20 hours a day, curled up in the fork of a tree. Just as the sloths can be tricky to spot, the moray eels have a habit of hiding during guest hours. However, Senior Life Support Engineer Janet Hartka saw a whole new side of them while collecting water samples from Atlantic Coral Reef at odd hours. They were surprisingly active, she says, swimming around the tank with no apparent need to conceal themselves in the exhibit’s rocks.
THEY’RE ALIVVVEEEE! The National Aquarium may never be able to say that its inanimate objects become living, breathing things, but it’s not totally inaccurate to claim that some of our animals come alive at night. Several nocturnal residents become noticeably more mobile. The death adders and pythons begin moving around their enclosures, extending their bodies and exposing their heads. Additionally, Amazon River Forest’s “emerald tree boa that’s curled up during the day is going to be seen moving around on the vines,” says General Curator Jack Cover. The giant waxy tree frog in the same exhibit becomes bolder because, in its native habitat, nighttime is safest. “In the wild, there are more visual predators, birds and monkeys out there during the day, so it freezes and blends into its background,” Cover says. But if you enter that exhibit at night, “that frog’s going to have the big, bulging eyes popping out, and it’s going to be crawling down the vine.” Similarly, the freshwater crocodiles in Australia: Wild Extremes hardly resemble what Seyjagat describes as “the crocodiles that look like stuffed toys during the day.” “In the daytime, they lie there still,” Seyjagat says. “But at
22 WATERMARKS | FALL 2014
night, everyone’s more active. The males are bellowing. The females are jostling for territory. The males are courting their favorite girls … blowing bubbles with tails swashing.”
The male Northern yellow-faced turtles become possessive of their territory, challenging each other with theatrical displays of dominance—they flap their flippers obnoxiously in front of the faces of other males, intent on intimidation. Male Eastern water dragons also take this opportunity to claim habitat as their own by flashing their red bellies at other males.
SOUND OFF Part of the twilight transformation lies simply in the sounds. “We sometimes find that animals will respond to storm events with big barometric pressure changes,” Cover says. “It will basically cause a spawning of the smooth-sided toads, so you’ll hear them calling.” Cover compares it to a symphony: “It gives me goose bumps. … It’s just so cool to think you’ve re-created this [habitat] and this breeding. ... I find it just as exciting, no matter how many times I’ve seen it.”
DEPUTIES AFTER DARK Few people have had the opportunity to witness this midnight metamorphosis. Animal Care staff isn’t required at night, since the majority of our residents are diurnal—meaning they’re typically more active during the day and take the opportunity to sleep at night. Approximately three custodians, two security guards and one life-support engineer walk the halls when everyone else has vacated the building. It’s a rare occasion when curators make late-night visits or overnight stays. “It’s usually for a power shutdown, an emergency, a storm or something like that, when we’d have to stay here for the night,” Seyjagat says. “In those cases, our first priority is animal welfare, animal care and safety.” In the event of an emergency, curators do rounds, periodically checking on the animals—and the experience can be eye-opening. “We’ll see things like what the birds do when we’re gone, what the crocodiles do, what the turtles do,” Seyjagat says. “So that gives us a good idea of how to reshape the exhibit the next morning, how to deal with animals that we never knew fight at night. ... It gives us more information on how to better manage the exhibit the next day.”
It can also be surreal. Cover remembers staying at the Aquarium overnight one winter during a blizzard. “We had a raging snowstorm happening on the other side of the glass,” he says, describing the Upland Tropical Rain Forest that night. “And these tropical tree frogs were singing and breeding inside of the rain forest, and it’s a completely different climate. It was a weird, sort of juxtaposed scene—and it emphasizes the importance of how we have to maintain these climates” no matter what happens outside of them. The night shift is not without its unwelcome surprises. A turtle can trip a water sensor and cause a late-night page to be sent to a curator, informing him or her that the tank is about to overflow. Seyjagat notes that some animals can get stranded, jellies can get stuck and turtles roll over on their backs in the rain forest. “That’s why it’s so essential to have people walking around and taking care of those emergencies,” he says. It might not be a T. rex roaming the halls or Sacajawea reincarnated, but there’s no arguing that a night at the Aquarium is an experience to remember. We’re just glad those megalodon jaws remain immobile no matter what time it is.
PUTTING SLEEP IN PERSPECTIVE Sloths may have earned the reputation of nature’s laziest creatures,
but they’re not the only ones in the animal kingdom that enjoy a good snooze fest.
L I T T L E B R O W N B AT
19.9 HOURS
NORTH AMERICAN OPOSSUM
18 HOURS
PYTHON
18 HOURS 14.6 HOURS
W E S T E R N T OA D
14 HOURS
P L AT Y P U S DUCK HUMAN
10.8 HOURS 8 HOURS
AQUA.ORG 23
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C O N S E R VAT I O N
WHY ARE YOU A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL AQUARIUM?
We were actually just in Ocean City, and we noticed all the signs for the Aquarium releasing the turtles. … We thought that was really cool. To just be somewhere, far away from here, and see the impact the Aquarium has on the environment. It feels good.”
— Katie Stanton
When you’ve had a bad day at work and you need to relax a little bit, you can come in and relax with the fish and just calm down and spend a minute with the shark tank. The whole day just kind of releases—just an amazing feeling—so we like coming here as often as we can.”
—Maggie Webbert
The National Aquarium in Baltimore is definitely a gem of the city. It’s an opportunity to see things that you couldn’t really normally see, and with ever-changing exhibits, there’s always something new to see.”
— Bill Bitman
LUCKY NUMBER 50 MILLION On September 4, we welcomed our 50-millionth guest and his family from North Carolina. The VIP visitors were surprised with a gift basket that included a family membership, an Animal Encounter and a private tour.
AQUA.ORG 25
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Membership The gift that keeps on giving
Give your loved ones a gift they can’t forget: Unlimited entry to the underwater world and rain forest canopy of the National Aquarium for a full year. The best part: Your purchase benefits our animals and conservation initiatives, so you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing your gift made an impact.
To purchase an Aquarium gift membership, visit aqua.org/members or call 410-659-4230.