SECTION TITLE
SPRING 2017
FEATURING
SHAPE SHIFTER Wet and Dry Seasons Transform Amazon River Forests 06
PLUS
Keeping Virginia Beach Dunes Secure 10
Animal Rescue Wizardry 05
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FROM THE CEO
TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S
Spring brings renewal and rejuvenation to Earth’s wild places. As a mild winter fades into memory, I am reminded of the importance of renewing our commitment to protect those places, many of which we celebrate here at the National Aquarium. The threats come from many directions, including a rapidly changing climate and political environment. With vital federal science agencies and other conservation nonprofits struggling to maintain their mission and funding, aquatic treasures like the Chesapeake Bay watershed have never needed us more. Our conservation mission begins within the Aquarium, as guests of all ages and backgrounds marvel
“Together, let’s work to ensure that fragile habitats near and far will thrive for a million more years.”
at the blue wonders we exhibit. Increasingly, however, that mission takes us well beyond these walls—to a revitalized Inner Harbor, a resurgent Chesapeake Bay and a resilient Atlantic Ocean. By undertaking important hands-on initiatives throughout the communities we serve, we work to create a generation of engaged, hope-filled conservationists. The field work of our staff and volunteers
reaps its own rewards, as water conditions improve from the Harbor to the Atlantic. In many cases, the proof is in the remarkable comeback many species are making. In this issue, for example, you’ll take a closer look at our Virginia Beach dune restoration program (page 10). If you’re inspired, check in at aqua.org to learn how you can take positive action alongside our field conservation team. Also in this issue, you’ll visit another treasured place, the
NATIONAL AQUARIUM INC. BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIR Thomas E. Robinson IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR Robert E. Carter VICE CHAIR Jane W. I. Droppa VICE CHAIR Tamika Langley Tremaglio EX OFFICIO Donna Morrison John C. Racanelli Toby Thompson LIFE DIRECTOR Frank A. Gunther Jr. Timothy J. Adams
Amazon river forest (page 6). In our award-winning exhibit,
John Bremer
curators bring this unique ecosystem to life for guests. In
Marc Bunting
the wild Amazon itself, a dynamic, annual cycle turns a
Keith Campbell
forest into a river and back again. Deforestation threatens not only the Amazon basin but the entire planet, for rain
David Churchill Colleen Dilenschneider Nancy Grasmick
forests produce much of Earth’s oxygen. Sadly, deforesta-
Mohannad F. Jishi
tion is once again accelerating with alarming impacts. Read
Joseph Nigro
about simple steps you can take to fight back against this
Marianela Peralta
unnecessary, destructive insult to the mighty Amazon.
Charles A. Phillips
As you browse this issue of Watermarks, I hope you’ll join me in reflecting on how these special places—and any others that you hold dear—make our lives better. Together, let’s work to ensure that fragile habitats near and far will thrive for a million more years.
WATERMARKS CREATIVE CONTRIBUTORS EXECUTIVE EDITOR Kristin Zissel EDITORS Megan Kowalski Kate Schmelyun CONTRIBUTOR Kelsey Johnston DESIGN DIRECTOR Krista Gill PHOTOGRAPHERS Theresa Keil Sean Lo COPY EDITOR Chris M. Junior
C. Elizabeth Wagner Edward Wiese
© 2017 National Aquarium Inc.
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake Jennifer W. Reynolds Enric Sala Chuck Tildon Jacqueline Ulman
IN EVERY ISSUE
AQUARIUM NEWS
MEMBER NEWS
WITH A RAINY SEASON CAPABLE OF
WORK ON THE AQUARIUM’S NEW
MEMBER EVENINGS HELP MEMBERS
SUBMERGING SMALL TREES, AMAZON
ANIMAL CARE AND RESCUE CENTER
MAKE THE MOST OF THEIR
RIVER FORESTS ARE TEEMING WITH
IS OFFICIALLY UNDERWAY.
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE AQUARIUM.
LIFE—AND WILD EXTREMES! 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.
Diana Ramsay
FEATURES
SHAPE SHIFTER
06
12 READ TO REEF BOOK CLUB CARRIES COMMUNITY ACCESS PROGRAMS TO
ANIMAL UPDATE
NEW HEIGHTS.
THE AQUARIUM FAMILY SAYS
SHORING UP THE SHORELINE
GOODBYE TO NANI.
OUR CONSERVATION TEAM MOBILIZES
DOGFISH HEAD CRAFT BREWERY
VOLUNTEERS TO SECURE FOUR MILES OF
MAKES SUSTAINABILITY DELICIOUS.
VULNERABLE VIRGINIA BEACH DUNES. 10
MUGGLE MAGIC SWEEPS ANIMAL RESCUE.
— J ohn Racanelli CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
ON THE COVER This giant waxy tree frog resides in our Amazon River Forest exhibit on Level 3.
ACCREDITED BY 100% RECYCLED FIBER
13
ABOVE Guests check out our Living Seashore exhibit at the recent Subaru Share the Love event.
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PHOTOGRAPH BY SEAN LO
PHOTOGRAPH BY THERESA KEIL
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AQUARIUM NEWS
Building a Better Future Work begins on new Animal Care and Rescue Center Construction of the National Aquarium’s new, state-of-theart Animal Care and Rescue Center is officially underway. Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh recently toured the site, which is located in historic Jonestown at 901 E. Fayette St., 0.7 miles from the Aquarium’s Inner Harbor campus.
generally house 1,000 to 1,500 animals requiring care
the Animal Care and Rescue Center also include special behind-the-scenes tour experiences for visitors. The new building replaces the outdated warehouse space in Fell’s Point that the Aquarium has rented since 1993 to house its Animal Care Center. Baltimore-based construction partner Plano-Coudon is working with architects from Design Collective toward anticipated completion of the new facility in spring 2018.
off-exhibit or time to acclimate before being added to
DIVE INTO OUR DEVELOPMENT
When complete, the 56,339-square-foot facility will
Aquarium habitats, as well as a portion of the National Aquarium’s animal rescue operations. Potential plans for
To learn more about this new home for the heart of our work, visit aqua.org/acrc for details.
AQUARIUM NEWS
Read to Reef Rewards Young Readers Aquarium and Pratt Library celebrate successful first year of Read to Reef book club and launch a new season sible to our entire community,” said Aquarium CEO John Racanelli. “I hope each guest leaves the National Aquarium engaged, informed and inspired.”
In 2016, the Aquarium awarded 9,841 free admissions to Baltimore-area children and their families as part of the Read to Reef book club—a partnership between the National Aquarium and Enoch Pratt Free Library system.
In 2017, the National Aquarium is looking to its corporate members to reach even more potential guests this year through Community Connections, a unique program that grants Aquarium access to qualified nonprofits through the generosity of the Aquarium’s business members.
With this success, the program has been extended through 2017 and beyond. Read to Reef encourages Baltimore children in fifth grade and younger to read five conservation or aquatic-themed books of their choice to earn up to four National Aquarium passes for themselves and up to three friends or family members. In just two seasons, 4,770 participants read 23,850 books.
LEARN MORE
To learn more about this and other programs, visit us online at aqua.org/youraquarium.
To earn Aquarium admission, kids must visit their local Enoch Pratt branch with their library card to pick up a bookmark at the beginning of each Read to Reef season. Once they have chosen five books from age-appropriate lists of Aquarium favorites, the reading begins! After reading and recording their five selections, young readers simply turn in their completed bookmark at the National Aquarium box office on the day they’d like to visit.
Your Aquarium Your Way The National Aquarium’s community access and field trip programs granted free or reduced Aquarium admission to more than 160,000 guests in 2016—a record number. Designed to reach as many Marylanders as possible, community access programs include an array of opportunities for guests and students to visit the Aquarium for less.
“As a conservation organization dedicated to inspiring people to care for the world’s aquatic treasures, one of our top priorities is making sure the Aquarium is acces-
WAT E R M A R K S
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SPRING 2017
OPPOSITE Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh and Aquarium CEO John Racanelli review a rendering of the new Animal Care and Rescue Center now underway.
ABOVE Poonam Mukherjee, branch manager of the Enoch Pratt Free Library system’s Govans branch, helps a student pick a book for the Read to Reef program.
PHOTOGRAPH BY THERESA KEIL
PHOTOGRAPH BY THERESA KEIL
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AQUARIUM NEWS
AQUARIUM NEWS
“Giving back to the community that sustains us is a karmic necessity, and we are proud of our collaborative work with the National Aquarium on these fronts.”
Muggle Magic Rescued sea turtles return to the ocean The 2016 cold-stun season was another record setter, with nearly 500 endangered sea turtles rescued from Massachusetts to Virginia this past fall. It was the third largest cold-stun season on record, behind only 2014 and 2015.
—SAM CALAGIONE, FOUNDER AND CEO
As a member of the Greater Atlantic Region Stranding Network, the National Aquarium was tapped to provide long-term rehabilitation for 21 of these turtles. They arrived in Baltimore—some by car and some by plane, thanks to volunteer drivers and pilots—in December after being triaged at the New England Aquarium.
With major improvements to its processes and manufacturing, including state-of-the-art brewing and canning facilities updates, Dogfish Head is putting sustainability and conservation at the forefront of everything it does. Its recycling practices include turning plastic food-use drums into rain barrels, as well as recapturing, processing and reusing the water waste from its brewing process, which allows Dogfish Head’s brewery to operate in the green, generating 40 percent of its own power. This year’s addition of cans for its craft brews is yet another step toward sustainability, since aluminum cans are more energy efficient to produce and transport, and are far more likely to be recycled.
Because a sea turtle’s body temperature relies on the temperature of their environment, they develop hypothermia when they don’t migrate south before water temperatures cool.
With results as delicious as SeaQuench—and as rewarding as sustainable business practices—we are eager to see what the future of this partnership might bring.
“Cold-stunning affects a turtle’s immune system,” explained Jennifer Dittmar, who leads National Aquarium Animal Rescue, “which increases their chances of developing secondary conditions such as gastrointestinal issues, blood infections and pneumonia.”
MEMBER BENEFITS
The Animal Rescue crew picks themes when naming patients and this year gave a nod to the wizarding world. The six greens and 15 Kemp’s ridleys were named after characters from the “Harry Potter” series. At one point this winter, in addition to Harry himself, Hermione, Ron and Hagrid were all swimming around in the Aquarium’s newly updated turtle rehab area.
Championing Sustainability Dogfish Head Craft Brewery embraces sustainable practices to foster growth When Dogfish Head—the official craft brewery of the National Aquarium and corporate member since 2010— approached our water quality team about collaborating on a special new ale, it was clear that things were about to get interesting. The flavor profile for its SeaQuench Session Sour Ale is based in part on the salinity and mineral content of the Chesapeake Bay, and it was derived with the expertise of Andy Aiken, the National Aquarium’s director of life support and resident water quality expert. Aiken’s daily
WAT E R M A R K S
responsibilities include keeping the majority of the Aquarium’s 20,000 animals happily awash in water that mimics that of their natural habitats. And, while SeaQuench was a big success, selling out in its initial production run and earning a permanent spot on the year-round Dogfish Head craft brew menu, it is just one piece of the Dogfish Head/National Aquarium partnership. Situated in Milton, Delaware, Dogfish Head more than supports the National Aquarium mission of inspiring conservation of the world’s aquatic treasures; it is practically its business model.
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SPRING 2017
Aquarium members can receive 10 percent off ocean getaways at Dogfish Inn in Lewes, Delaware, with an additional discount at Chesapeake & Maine restaurant at check-in, now through Memorial Day and October through December 2017.
To date, 20 turtles rehabbed at the National Aquarium have been released back into the ocean in Florida.
Use code DogfishAquarium17 when booking by phone or online. Valid Aquarium membership card required at check-in.
CARE AND SHARE
To learn more about National Aquarium Animal Rescue and support our rescue efforts, visit
OPPOSITE Dogfish Head’s state-of-the-art facilities put sustainability at the forefront. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF DOGFISH HEAD
aqua.org/care
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F E AT U R E S
SHAPE SHIFTER BY KATE SCHMELYUN Imagine an otherworldly place that’s not forest or river, but both. Where the branches of saplings and other small trees reach toward the surface of the water, completely submerged, along with the roots and trunks of larger trees. Where stingrays skim along the forest floor, turtles and river dolphins weave through the trees, and some species of fish serve the same function as mammals and birds on land, eating fruits and spreading their seeds. During the Amazon rainy season— which can last from four to nine months each year—this is life in a flooded forest. Exactly when the rainy season begins and ends varies depending on the region, but the timing of the wet and dry seasons in each region remains predictable and consistent. “During the rainy season, rivers overflow their banks and water rises 10 to 40 vertical feet in these forests,” says Ken Howell, curator of rain forest exhibits at the National Aquarium.
“While only 3 to 4 percent of the Amazon basin is considered to be flooded forest, the diversity of fishes here is incredible and unmatched anywhere else.” The Amazon basin is one of the most biodiverse habitats on Earth; it’s estimated that more than 2,000 species of fish can be found in its waters. When the rivers rise, fish and other aquatic animals move with the water into the forests. “When the dry season returns and the waters recede, they are often trapped in lakes and ponds by the receding waters,” explains Howell. RE-CREATING A ONE-OF-A-KIND PLACE
Our Amazon River Forest exhibit was built in 2000, and is designed to showcase the diversity of species found in the region. According to World Wide Fund for Nature, there are three types of flooded forests: varzea forests, which are fed by muddy rivers; igapo for-
ests located in blackwater and clearwater tributaries; and tidal forests located in the Amazon estuary. “We have 18,000 gallons of water in the Amazon River Forest exhibit,” says Howell. “While our exhibit water is filtered and clear, our fish population most closely resembles that of a blackwater habitat where the water is tinted the color of tea.” The exhibit portrays an Amazon tributary at the beginning stage of its seasonal flooding, but two smaller displays show identical slices of the river forest: one in the rainy season and the other in the dry season. Conditions throughout the exhibit are maintained at a steamy 83 degrees.
OPPOSITE Discus fish have a round, flat bodies, but are nicknamed the “pompadour fish” for their distinctive look. They’re found in slow-moving freshwater, including tributaries in the Amazon River basin. PHOTOGRAPH BY SEAN LO
“Rivers overflow their banks and water rises 10 to 40 vertical feet in these forests.” —KEN HOWELL, CURATOR OF AUSTRALIA AND RAIN FOREST EXHIBITS
WAT E R M A R K S
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SPRING 2017
F E AT U R E S
“While only 3 to 4 percent of the Amazon basin is considered to be flooded forest, the diversity of fishes here is incredible and unmatched anywhere else.” —KEN HOWELL, CURATOR OF AUSTRALIA AND RAIN FOREST EXHIBITS
DEFORESTATION THREATENS WILDLIFE AND THEIR HABITATS
In his book “The Fishes and the Forest,” author and researcher Michael Goulding warns that the deforestation taking place in the Amazon basin and throughout the region poses serious threats to the species found there. Beyond the loss of habitats, deforestation across the Amazon basin has dire environmental repercussions. These impacts include not only loss of rainfall and increased drought, but also more climate change emissions, since much of the land is cleared by burning. Deforestation in the Amazon had slowed in the early 2000s, but has begun to sharply rise again. A February 2017 New York Times article states that, “in the Brazilian Amazon, deforestation rose in 2015 for the first time in nearly a decade, to nearly two million acres from August 2015 to July 2016.” That’s up from 1.2 million acres two years ago. This backslide is due in part to growing worldwide demand for soy, palm oil and other crops.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
In addition to learning more about the region, being a thoughtful consumer can help protect the rain forests.
SHAPE SHIFTER
Noteworthy inhabitants Amazon River Forest PIER 04, LEVEL 03 FRESHWATER STINGRAYS
The freshwater stingrays of the Amazon vary greatly in appearance. Some are a muted, mottled brown; others are almost black with striking pale spots. They all, however, have a not-to-bemessed-with venomous barb near their tails.
Much of the land in the Amazon
SMOOTH-FRONTED CAIMANS
basin is cleared for agriculture,
There are currently two female caimans at the Aquarium. The smallest member of the crocodilian family, they are nocturnal, and well adapted to both the dry and rainy Amazon seasons. They feed on land animals such as snakes and rodents, as well as aquatic species such as frogs and fish.
driven by multinational food companies’ demand for products such as soy, palm oil and beef. Most of the soy grown in the Amazon is exported as feed for livestock, and palm oil is found in nearly 50 percent of all packaged foods. Labeled under a variety of names, including palmitate, palmate and hexadecenoic, among others, palm oil isn’t always easy to identify. Look for a “Certified Sustainable Palm Oil” label, or download an app to find palm-oil-free products. Positive steps can also include going vegetarian even one day a week, and eating whole, unprocessed foods that are locally grown or raised.
AMAZON TURTLES
The Amazon is brimming with turtles, six species of which are represented in the Amazon River Forest exhibit. One, the giant South American river turtle, is of particular interest to researchers right now due to growing evidence that they communicate with each other using sound. OPPOSITE The National Aquarium is home to an adult pair of big-headed Amazon river turtles, and is the only institution in North America to have ever successfully bred this species. PHOTOGRAPH BY SEAN LO
WAT E R M A R K S
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SPRING 2017
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F E AT U R E S
SHORING UP THE SHORELINE BY KRISTIN ZISSEL When powerful weather batters our coastlines, ocean sand dunes are the first line of defense against punishing storm surges. Without the natural protection provided by sand dunes, coastal areas are at risk for increased flooding, extensive property damage and coastal erosion. However, sand dunes themselves are susceptible to erosion from wind, water and human interference. The National Aquarium’s conservation team has partnered with Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic since 2004 to ensure a four-mile stretch of dunes along Naval Air Station Oceana-Dam Neck Annex remains resilient and intact, protecting the crucial base operations just over the dunes and ensuring that the beach remains viable for both Naval operations and recreation, as well as the local wildlife that call these Virginia Beach dunes home. Working with volunteers from the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center in Norfolk, Virginia, and from the base itself, the National Aquarium conservation team undertakes the important task of reinforcing and fortifying the dunes using dune fencing, while planting beach grasses and shrubs whose roots anchor the dunes, providing permanence and protecting from weather and man-made erosion.
PLANTING FOR THE FUTURE
Dune fencing encourages the accumulation of sand, while the long, dense root structures of grasses and shrubs secure the durability of the dunes. Volunteers plant up to 36,000 plants over the course of the four-day event to ensure dune stability throughout the year, protecting against hurricanes, winter storms and gradual beach erosion. POWERED BY PERSERVERANCE
Our conservation staff visits this stretch of beach each year in advance of their restoration events to assess the health and condition of the dunes in order to properly focus the efforts of the volunteers. During the two-tofour-day restoration events, 50 to 100 volunteers per day get their hands dirty for the dunes. TOP RIGHT AND OPPOSITE Volunteers plant native sea grasses, which secure dunes and provide animal habitat. BOTTOM RIGHT Dune fencing and sea grasses help amass sand and provide stability. PHOTOGRAPHS BY THERESA KEIL
PLANT FOR THE FUTURE
For more information about how you can take part in a dune restoration or other local conservation action event, visit aqua.org/care.
WAT E R M A R K S
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SPRING 2017
“Without these restoration efforts, ocean sand dunes— which protect us from storm devastation and provide critical habitat for wildlife we depend on—would be at risk during each storm system.” —CHARMAINE DAHLENBURG, CHESAPEAKE BAY PROGRAM MANAGER
MEMBER NEWS
A N I M A L U P DAT E
Remembering Our Dolphin Matriarch The National Aquarium has renamed its research vessel the R/V Nani, in honor of the matriarch of the Aquarium’s dolphin colony that passed away on February 27. Nani, which means “beautiful” in Hawaiian, was 44 years old and an integral part of the National Aquarium community for more than 25 years. The boat, previously named the R/V Carcharhinus, is used for shark tagging, data collection and other projects.
PHOTOGRAPH BY THERESA KEIL
More of a Good Thing
SABANA SURINAM TOADS
Sabana Surinam toads are elusive and hard to observe in the wild, but now you can catch a glimpse of seven juveniles in the Amazon River Forest exhibit. Despite their name, these animals are actually tongueless aquatic frogs that use suction along their forelimbs to capture prey. They’re also known to exhibit territorial behavior (think chasing and wrestling) to defend themselves.
Member Evenings, up close and personal
SPECIES FROM THE BAY
Two species of fish from the Chesapeake Bay have been added to the Tidal Marsh exhibit. Blennies are olive green and grow to be about three to four inches in length. They live in the Bay year-round, often hiding out near oyster reefs. Mummichogs, also known as mud minnows, are small, brown-green fish found in the marshes throughout the Bay watershed.
National Aquarium members can now enjoy at least one Member Evening each month, complete with up-close-andpersonal animal encounters, reduced crowds and special programming.
THE NEW CROWD
Visit aqua.org/members for membership details and a full calendar of member events.
TOP, ABOVE Margaret, our hyacinth macaw, stretches out to welcome members during our February Member Evening, while some of our youngest members soak up our Living Seashore exhibit without the crowds. PHOTOGRAPHS BY THERESA KEIL
WAT E R M A R K S
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SPRING 2017
See if you can spy the five new species of fish recently added to our Pacific Coral Reef exhibit— black spot angelfish, brush tail tang, hawk anthias, yellow pyramid butterflyfish and powderblue surgeonfish.
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FRESH HATCH!
Eight Mary River turtles hatched in Australia: Wild Extremes recently— the first successful breeding of this endangered species at the Aquarium! PHOTOGRAPH BY SEAN LO
501 East Pratt Street | Baltimore, Maryland 21202
YOUR
Did you know that your membership powers our engines? Members make everything we do possible, from community conservation events to our work on behalf of endangered species. Thank you for your support!
Learn about the difference your membership is making at
aqua.org/care
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