Photo by Living Shores Aquarium
A Look Behind the Glass at Living Shores By Lauren Clem
A Closer Look at What it Takes to Maintain Over 32,000 Square Feet of Interactive Tide Pools, Aquariums, and Exhibits in the White Mountains. On an early January morning, temperatures linger around -4 degrees as the sun rises over the Mt. Washington Valley. Outside, winds buffet Route 16, and only the most intrepid skiers and hikers have made it out for the morning runs. Inside Living Shores Aquarium in Glen, however, spring has already arrived. A tropical wonderland greets staff members as they arrive at 6:30 a.m. for the start of their morning shift. Inside, squawking birds, chirping otters, and schools of colorful fish greet them, awake and ready for their morning meal. Located on the Story Land property on Route 16, Living Shores opened its doors in November 2019 after more than a year of preparations. The 32,000-square-foot aquarium is home to fish, birds, otters, and other small animals, and bills itself as “New England’s newest hands-on experience.” What it lacks in size it makes up for in interactive exhibits, with five touch pools, five viewing exhibits, and a walk-in aviary where guests can get up-close with tropical birds. The attraction was open for four months before the COVID-19 pandemic forced it to shut its doors to visi-
DID YOU KNOW?
In order for staff to thoroughly clean some of the fish tanks, they actually have to partially drain them and then hop directly into the tanks!
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tors in March 2020. It reopened last May, once again welcoming the public to a tropical oasis after the 14-month hiatus. For staff, the close environment means getting to know the animals on a personal level, with animal care staff trading off daily responsibilities looking after the fish, otters, birds, invertebrates, and snakes. Every morning starts with a check of all the exhibits and systems in the building, including water temperature, pH level, and water oxygen levels. “A lot of what we do is feeding and making sure everybody has fresh food and fresh water—and then we get to cleaning. And cleaning’s the bulk of our day,” said Brittany Noel, an animal care specialist who lives in Madison. “For fish, it might be draining a tank down to about 25 percent and actually hopping into the tank and scrubbing the glass clean.” Noel, a former special education teacher who grew up in Gorham, didn’t originally plan on a career working with animals. After nearly 10 years in education, she decided to make a career switch in 2019. The pandemic delayed her plans slightly, and she began working at Living Shores in April 2021, shortly before the aquarium reopened to the public. “I love animals,” she said. “I love science, and I have a similar passion for [the animals] that I have had for people. As somebody who worked in special ed, I feel like I always have a bit of a soft spot for living things that need extra help. Animal care just kind of fit with that.” The staff prepare the animals’ meals in the back room, where a whiteboard details the dietary needs
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