AQUARIUM NEWS
FALL 2015
SUMMER 2016
LETTER FROM OUR CEO
Dear Members and Friends, So, how long does it take to move a 68-feet long, 11-feet high, 9-inch thick, 42,000-lb piece of acrylic into our new Caribbean Wing? A lot longer than I thought - about three hours. On Friday, April 8, we placed what is now the longest acrylic aquarium window in the nation into our H-E-B Caribbean Shark exhibit. Sharks around the world are facing increasing pressure from overfishing, fin harvesting, and incidental take, or “bycatch”. In fact, according to the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), one quarter of the world’s sharks and rays are threatened with extinction. This challenge was the driving force behind our Saving Sharks exhibit, which opened in October of 2015. It’s also why we chose to support the important work of Harte Research Institute scientist Dr. Greg Stunz through our Wildlife Care, Conservation and Research (WCCR) fund. Dr. Stunz and his team are focused on the study of migration patterns of these apex predators and the vital role they play in the Gulf ecosystem. As we began conceptual design of the Caribbean Wing, we knew that shark conservation needed to be a major area of focus. And as we know, in order for people to care about, and ultimately work to protect these amazing fish, they must first learn about them, and understand the important role they play in our oceans and seas. This nexus of research, conservation, exhibition, and interpretation is what will drive conservation action to protect these and the many other species that serve as ambassadors for their wild brethren. And there is no better way to engage our guests in the magnificence of the shark than through the longest acrylic viewing window in the nation. Engaging people with animals, inspiring appreciation for our seas, and supporting wildlife conservation; it’s what we do every day, thanks to your support.
Tom Schmid President and CEO
TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM • SUMMER 2016
The Texas State Aquarium is
Proud Partners with:
AQUARIUM NEWS
GET WRAPPED UP IN TENTACLES! OPENING SUMMER 2016 A “gripping” new experience is coming to you soon at the Aquarium – Tentacles! Visitors will have the opportunity to enter a fascinating underwater world full of color-changing cuttlefish, jaw dropping jellies, cephalopods, and one gripping Giant Pacific octopus. In the darker depths of the ocean lurk these charismatic species that are characterized as being quick-change artists and expert hunters. Tentacles will take the place of our long-standing Floating Phantoms exhibit and expand upon the experiential wonder jellies provide visitors. Included in the exciting new space is a nursery, which allows visitors to watch the birth and growth cycles of egg casings and juvenile cephalopods and
jellies. In addition to teaching guests about the lifecycle of these creatures, the nursery is also a vehicle to convey the importance of sustainability, because this nursery allows us to maintain our own sustainable jelly population. Nautilus, cuttlefish, and octopus all belong to the cephalopod family. Also
known as marine mollusks, related to snails and slugs, these animals are found in the world’s ocean and at all depths. They can be less than an inch to over 50 feet in size and can range in appearance from being ghostly transparent to displaying a bright rainbow of vibrance. Bonding these animals together is a shared anatomy that includes a head and eyes, mantle and siphon, arms, tentacles, beak, and radula. Guests will not only be able to see jellies, but they’ll be invited to touch, as well! We’re excited about the touch aspect of Tentacles, as this unique feature will not only delight adults and children alike, but open up an opportunity to dialogue about marine debris and the issues facing animals in the wild. Giving guests an opportunity to safely touch
a moon jelly also allows us to initiate a conversation with them about how this animal can easily be mistaken for a littered plastic bag and how they can be a part of ensuring such an item never comes to be debris in the first place.
Species • Blubber jellies • Atlantic and Pacific sea nettles • Cannonball jellies • Moon jellies • Upside-down jellyfish • Chambered nautilus • Flamboyant cuttlefish • Giant Pacific Octopus
SUMMER 2016 • TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM
AQUARIUM NEWS
Caribbean Construction Update Workers install the 68-feet long H-E-B Caribbean Shark Exhibit viewing window, the longest aquarium acrylic window in the nation.
A close-up inside the Blue Hole exhibit.
YOUR AQUARIUM
TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM • SUMMER 2016
F
rom the Coral Reef and the Blue Hole, to the Cenote, the Mayan ruin, and the Caribbean Shark exhibit, many of the Caribbean Journey’s marquee coming attractions are easy to spot during a walk through the construction site. With acrylic installation beginning at many of those exhibits, one can easily imagine the exhibits coming alive with water, plants, coral sea life, and other animals. Even at this stage, one undeniable highlight is the H-E-B Caribbean Shark exhibit. The expansive 400,000
gallon exhibit will feature over a dozen large sharks and hundreds of marine fish swimming around and through a shipwreck viewable from an above overlook area, a 118-foot acrylic tunnel, and a 68 foot curved acrylic viewing window – the longest aquarium acrylic viewing window in North America. This window was recently installed and represents another milestone in our movement toward opening in spring of 2017!
CURRENT EVENTS
SeaCamp
Summer SeaCamp starts June 6 and extends through August 18! Campers will be immersed in all things sharks, oceanography and bioinspiration, as well as conservation, careers and Junior Angler. Sign up today!
Youth Ocean Conservation Summit
The Aquarium hosted the first Youth Ocean Conservation Summit ever held in Texas in April. Students had to apply to participate, with the group limited to 40 students who will explore the impact of marine debris both locally and globally, draft conservation action plans they will help implement and report back on, explore career opportunities in marine science and conservation, and learn about opportunities they can take part in
to help protect our planet’s oceans and their inhabitants. These annual events teach participants about the ways other people, including youth, are currently working to protect marine ecosystems, and then allows them to work with their peers to develop action plans for their own ocean conservation projects.
whale of a success for the Aquarium! This signature fundraiser included dinner, drinks, musical entertainment by the Surf City All- Stars, animal ambassadors, a chance to purchase some amazing auction items, and so much more. We hope you were there to experience the benefit bash of the year!
AZA Accreditation
Boxed Water to Replace Bottled
The Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) announced last month that the Aquarium was granted accreditation by AZA’s independent Accreditation Commission. The Aquarium was first accredited by the AZA in 1995 and has maintained continuous AZA accreditation since. To be accredited, the Aquarium underwent a thorough review to ensure it has and will continue to meet ever-rising standards, which include animal care, veterinary programs, conservation, education, and safety. AZA requires zoos and aquariums to successfully complete this rigorous accreditation process every five years in order to be members of the Association.
In April, the Aquarium was proud to announce that it is no longer selling bottled water, instead choosing to offer more environmentally-friendly boxed water in 16.9 ounce (half-liter) and 33.8 ounce (one liter) sizes. The boxed water, produced by Boxed Water Is Better, LLC, is being supplied to the Aquarium by its beverage partner, Pepsi Co. The boxed water containers are 100% recyclable and 100% BPA free.
Beach Ball Recap Beach Ball Carnivale, presented proudly by the Andrews Distributing Company, was a SUMMER 2016 • TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM
WCCR UPDATE
THE STREAM
TEAM T
he Texas Stream Team (TST) has discovered the secret to ridding Texas waterways of harmful monofilament and other marine debris: utilize and harness the power of the source from whence it came – people. That’s right, this network of trained citizen scientists and other partners work together to patrol and protect Texas’ 191,000 miles of waterways to conduct scientific research, promote environmental stewardship, and to help clean up the mess. Started in 1991, TST has grown to include 8,000 community members, from birders, anglers, students, kayakers, “river rats,” and others putting in 45,000 service hours to monitor and collect information about Texas waterways.
A Dream Team for the Enviroment
According to Meredith Miller, senior program coordinator for the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University, citizen scientists are trained to understand the importance and science of water quality and the information that they collect. That means every month over 400 TST citizen scientists collect water quality information concerning Texas rivers, lakes, bayous, wetlands and more at over 150 different sites throughout the state. A new TST program called Monofilament Finders allows many of these same folks to find and track monofilament.
“Each month our members monitor and report pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and other indicators of water quality at their favorite sites. That data supports academic research, informs conservation policy, and serves as a de facto early warning system for water quality events across Texas,” Miller said. The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) all came together to form a cooperative partnership in order to start and run TST. TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM • SUMMER 2016
“Some people only collect and track monofilament – maybe on a regular basis or just when they are out fishing or enjoying nature,” Miller explains, “…Over 100 people have taken our monofilament collection bags and data collection protocol cards. We hope to increase that number this summer!”
Miller said she’s extremely proud of TST and its multiple programs. She’s hoping that much will be gleaned from collected monofilament data and that this will help lead to lasting change. “Hopefully the data collected by everyday people all around the state can help us paint a picture about where monofilament accumulates and how it affects the environment. This will allow us not only to clean it up, but to help educate Texans about how to keep it out of the environment in the first place.” Monofilament can be dangerous, even deadly, to wildlife across the state. Miller says sea birds, migrating birds, wading birds, turtles, fish, manatees, alligators and even dolphins and whales are harmed by monofilament along the coast. “Upstream, birds, fish, frogs and mammals like beavers can be injured or killed by discarded monofilament,” she elaborated. Miller is excited about plans to expand the Monofilament Finders project, which was funded by the Aquarium’s Wildlife Care, Conservation, and Research (WCCR) Fund. For more information about how to get involved with Monofilament Finders, TST, or one of the many programs TST offers, contact Briane Willis at BrianeWillis@ txstate.edu or click here!
SECOND CHANCES
Tiki the Turtle If you think having only one full flipper and one good eye would stop a sea turtle swimming, you haven’t met Tiki. Known by Aquarium staff as the unofficial queen of Islands of Steel, Tiki proves that overcoming hardship is not only possible, but that a turtle can sometimes flourish minus a few flippers. Found floating at Tiki Island near Galveston by the National Marine Fisheries Services, Tiki was badly entangled in fishing line. Some of her flippers had been chewed away by fish and the rest were lost due to the severity of her fishing line entanglement. Still, “She is full of life,” says Hazel Manjarris, Aquarium curator of fish and herpetology.
She is also a great representation and success story of how agencies such as NOAA and NMFS patrol and save the lives of many animals. Manjarris describes Tiki as being very curious and inquisitive, namely concerning staff or volunteers SCUBA diving in her home, the Islands of Steel exhibit. “When we get in to dive she wants you to acknowledge her, and some of the staff scrub her back, and she falls asleep during the dive,” Manjarris says.
Despite her disabilities, Tiki moves through her home largely without issue. Manjarris says that Tiki’s tenacity and resiliency help make her a great ambassador for her species. “She is a great representation of how her physical ailments don’t get in the way of her day to day living. You would never know that she has these disabilities by her personality and her ability to maneuver through the exhibit. She is also a great representation and success story of how agencies such as NOAA and NMFS patrol and save the lives of many animals.” Tiki is also unfortunately a great example of why properly disposing of fishing gear and marine debris is crucial. “…it is extremely important to recycle and be responsible with monofilament (fishing line),” says Manjarris, “Marine debris is extremely harmful to our marine animals, and picking up trash, recycling, and reducing the amount of trash we dispose of will assist with animals out in the wild.”
Stats Arrived at Aquarium: 1995
Estimated age: 30
Species:
Loggerhead sea turtle (listed as “vulnerable” on IUCN Red List)
Enjoys:
Back scrubs, chasing divers, and ice blocks with frozen crab treats inside
SUMMER 2016 • TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM
CALENDAR
JUNE
JULY 4
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texasstateaquarium.org Hours of Operation
World Oceans Day
World Oceans Day is all about celebrating our world’s wonderful oceans! By supporting clean energy choices, trash-free coasts and beaches, sustainable seafood, and more, we can celebrate the world’s oceans and keep them in good shape for generations to come. We’ll be featuring games, great activities, giveaways and more! More details coming soon.
Fourth of July Celebration
Wear your red, white, and blue, and join us for a sparkling Fourth of July celebration! The Aquarium will have some exhibits open to view at night and a prime spot to watch the city’s fireworks show!
Winter Hours:
9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Monday – Sunday
Monday – Sunday
(begins March 1)
(begins Labor Day)
How To Contact Us: Accounting (361) 881-1286
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Summer Hours:
Admissions (361) 881-1230 Donations & Development (361) 881-1324 Education & SeaCamp (361) 881-1204 Executive Offices (361) 881-1200
International Save the Vaquita Day Sea You @ Dolphin Bay
Enjoy delicious catered food, premium bar service, and exclusive shows with our dolphins and other animals at this adults-only soiree! Members receive a discount on tickets!
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Join us from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. as we celebrate and learn how we can help save the world’s most endangered marine mammal, the vaquita. Only 60 of this small species of porpoise exist today, a 40% decrease since 2011.
Event Rentals (361) 881-1244 General Information (361) 881-1200 Gift Shop (361) 881-1232 Group Reservations (361) 881-1307 Guide Office (361) 881-1250 Injured Animal (361) 881-1210 Membership (361) 881-1340 Shoreline Grill (361) 881-1239
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Volunteers (361) 881-1381
Member Night Shark Week
Shark Week is swimming in early this year! Beginning June 26, we’ll celebrate our favorite underwater apex predator with a week of fun and educational programs.
Enjoy this exclusive, members-only night at the Aquarium! Details to come; be sure to check our Facebook page for updated info!
19 Rising Tide Society’s Turtles on Tap
Join our up and coming Aquarium leaders of tomorrow as they learn about turtle and terrapin conservation from local research specialist Aaron Baxter. July 19, from 6:00 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Surfs Club, 309 N Water St, Corpus Christi, TX 78401. Stay tuned to the RTS Facebook page to learn more about this great event!
The Texas State Aquarium is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). AZA is America’s leading accrediting organization for zoos and aquariums, and accredits only those institutions that have achieved rigorous, professional standards for animal care and management, veterinary care, wildlife conservation and research, education, safety, staffing, and more. Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. With its more than 200 accredited members, AZA is building North America’s largest wildlife conservation movement and is your link to helping animals in their native habitats. For more information, visit www.aza.org. The Texas State Aquarium was designated as a Coastal America Coastal Ecosystem Learning Center in 1998. Coastal America combines the resources of federal agencies with marine educational centers. The mutual partnership extends to involving communities in protection, preservation, and restoration projects throughout the Nation.
Our Mission
To engage people with animals, inspire appreciation for our seas, and support wildlife conservation.
TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM • SUMMER 2016
Our Vision
To be a global leader in fostering support for the conservation of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.