Untitled - South Carolina Aquarium

16 Pages·2017·3.8 MB·English

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From the President
It all started with a phone call from the South Carolina Department of
Natural Resources back in 2000.
A loggerhead sea turtle had washed ashore, sick and incapacitated,
and the nearest sea turtle rehab facility was several hours away.
Could we help? Our curator at the time, Jason Crichton, said sure –
and immediately shot over to Kmart to pick up a kiddie pool.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Little did we know at the time that this turtle, affectionately named
Stinky, would transform the future of the South Carolina Aquarium.
Chairman Richard Roth
Stinky was released, healthy and thriving, almost a year later and Jonathan Zucker Missy Sauls
Scott Snider
based on our experience we readily welcomed other stranded sea
Vice Chairmen Peter Stonefield
turtles into our care. Pete Sniderman James H. “Jeddie”
Dixon Woodward Suddeth III
Emily Swanson
With a “Field of Dreams” fervor, we purchased hospital tanks and Treasurer John Swink
J. Donald Higgins Thomas Wright
life support, staffed up with biologists and volunteers, added a
Director Emeritus Stephanie Yarbrough
veterinary care team and sophisticated medical technology. While this
Vice Treasurer Chairmen Emeriti
didn’t happen overnight, we learned several things along the way …
Steve Gray James L. Ferguson *
including how resilient sea turtles are, and also how little we know Kenneth “Ken” Seeger
Secretary Hilton C. Smith, Jr.
about them … how threatened they are by human pressures, and how
Catherine Smith M. William
our changing environment is conspiring against them. Youngblood, Esq.
Vice Secretary Jerry Zucker *
Jim Twining
We also learned how powerfully sea turtles tug at our hearts, and Directors Emeriti
what effective ambassadors they can be for all of marine wildlife. Members Pat Conroy *
Elizabeth Colbert- John Danahy
Busch William A. Finn
That’s why we are so excited to unveil Zucker Family Sea Turtle Larry Colshan Bruce Hecker
Dee Fortson J. Donald Higgins
Recovery™ on May 27. This dramatic new facility will not only greatly M. Frederick “Fritz” Sheila Hodges
expand our ability to treat sea turtles, it will enable all of our visiting Gitter, M.D. Peatsy Hollings *
Andrew Gowder, Jr. Kate Jerome
public to see firsthand the care and attention our patients receive. Dwayne Green Robert R. Macdonald
It will serve as a powerful learning landscape, where children can Jim Hansen Layton McCurdy, M.D.
Mason Holland The Honorable
interact with augmented reality to conduct diagnoses on mock Valerie Howell Robert E. McNair *
sea turtles based on actual case histories. It will also extend our David Johnston Mary Alice Monroe
Brenda Lauderback The Honorable
leadership in global sea turtle care, as we engage in cutting-edge Brian Marley Richard W. Riley
research to learn more about these endangered species and how we Gary McLaurin Victor Samra, Jr. *
Jay Millen Ted Stern *
can save them. John H. Neely
Thompson Penney * deceased
David Rivers
Most of all, it will offer hope – hope that we can make a difference
and prevent endangered species from going extinct. It’s the same
hope we experienced in 2010 when our very first patient, Stinky, was
found healthy and thriving off the coast of Georgia. South Carolina Aquarium
(843) 577-FISH (3474)
Open Daily 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
We are so grateful to the Zucker family and our community of donors Building closes at 5 p.m.
and members who have made this experience possible. We look Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day
forward to sharing Zucker Family Sea Turtle Recovery with you in this Membership Department
issue, and soon, in person. [phone]
Monday–Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
The South Carolina Aquarium is a 501(c)(3)
not-for-profit organization and relies on the
generosity of individuals, foundations and
corporations.
To help support the South Carolina Aquarium,
contact us at [phone] or
[email protected].
Kevin Mills, President and CEO
Aquarium News
Take the Plastic Challenge Shark Shallows Becomes Balanced Ocean Exhibit
The Shallows
Plastic pollution is one of the most Reel in a Good Catch at our recently
pressing issues facing our oceans added exhibit, Balanced Ocean, in the
Cownose rays and southern stingrays
today. The U.S. only recycles nine Coast gallery near the lionfish tank.
are the stars of our revamped
percent of the plastic it uses, and Following the release of the juvenile
exhibit, now entitled The Shallows.
worldwide more than 8 million metric sea turtle that previously occupied this
tons of plastic enter the ocean each tank, we gave the space a makeover.
Beginning last year, we treated the
year. Solving the problem requires the The new exhibit presents sustainable
water in Shark Shallows with copper to
effort of everyone! Luckily, there are seafood in a fun and simple way, and
eliminate a naturally occurring parasite.
simple steps we can all take to avoid makes choosing sustainable seafood
Now that the copper treatment is
single-use plastics and prevent plastic less daunting for people of all ages.
complete, we chose to focus on rays
waste from entering the ocean.
in the exhibit going forward to create
The Balanced Ocean tank now displays
a fun, relaxed experience for our
We invite you to join us in taking a many species of fish that fishermen can
guests and to provide more creative
two-week Plastic Challenge. Starting harvest responsibly in South Carolina.
enrichment options for the animals.
in mid-July, we will send you a And in the exhibit’s interactive area,
We’re also exploring new opportunities
daily email each morning with a you can practice your angling skills to
for guests to interact with the rays.
tip to reduce your dependence on “catch” a sustainable fish and see if it
plastic. How much of an impact do meets the requirements to be a keeper!
We thank you for your patience
you think we will make together?
and support as we continue to
develop The Shallows! Read more at
If you accept the challenge, visit
scaquarium.org/the-shallows-update.
scaquarium.org/plastic-challenge
to learn more and sign up!
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What’s Happening
AQUARIUM AFTER HOURS WORLD TURTLE CELEBRATION CRABBING CLINIC
AND GRAND OPENING OF
ZUCKER FAMILY SEA TURTLE RECOVERY™
MAY 18: May-ting Season JUNE 10
JUNE 15: Tacos with Salsa 10 a.m. – noon
JULY 20: Southern Block Party MAY 27–28 Pitt Street Bridge, Mount Pleasant
AUGUST 17: Endless Summer
This year, we’re going all out to Join us for a crabbing clinic! In addition
5 – 10 p.m. celebrate turtles with a brand new to learning about crabbing techniques,
experience dedicated to these riveting get the scoop on crab biology and how
We’ve extended our operating hours to reptiles! Local turtle team volunteers to have less impact while crabbing. $10
10 p.m. on the third Thursday of each will be stationed at the Aquarium per member. Reservations required; to
month this summer, adding themed throughout the weekend to share their reserve, call [phone].
experience helping sea turtles in the
activities and programs geared toward
wild and to answer your questions.
adults. Enjoy drinks from the cash bar
Behind-the-scenes tours of the
and dinner from visiting food trucks as SEINING PROGRAMS
basement Sea Turtle Hospital will be
you experience the Aquarium at night.
available at 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m. and 2
Free admission for members. JUNE 15 AUGUST 10
p.m. each day. Join the festivities as our
6 - 7:30 p.m. 6 - 7:30 p.m.
newest exhibit opens to the public and
Sullivan’s Island Daniel Island
we embark on a bold journey to save
sea turtles. JUNE 28 AUGUST 24
6 - 7:30 p.m. (ADULTS ONLY)
Daniel Island 6 - 7:30 p.m.
WORLD OCEANS DAY Sullivan’s Island
JULY 13
6 - 7:30 p.m. SEPTEMBER 16
JUNE 8
Folly Beach 10 - 11:30 a.m.
Taking action to protect the ocean Folly Beach
JULY 27
is vital to creating a healthy and
6 - 7:30 p.m.
sustainable environment for future
ZUCKER FAMILY SEA TURTLE Sullivan’s Island
RECOVERY™ MEMBER PREVIEW generations because no matter where
you live, everyone’s health directly
depends on a clean, productive ocean. A member favorite! Assist Aquarium
MAY 25
Join us to learn how to protect one of staff as we search the sand and water
6:30 – 8 p.m.
the planet’s most valuable resources, for aquatic creatures. We’ll drag a seine
Be among the first to see the new our oceans. Together we can make a through the surf to find fish, crabs and
exhibit that everyone’s talking about! huge impact on the health of the planet. maybe even a small shark. Educators
Visit the sea turtle patients in their new will give you a glimpse into the
tanks, test the interactive triage and fascinating lives of fish, mollusks and
operating stations, and get a glimpse other beach dwellers as we walk along.
at the Aquarium’s new, state-of-the-art Tickets are $10; reservations required.
medical facility. To reserve, call [phone].
Light refreshments will be served, and
reservations are required. To reserve,
call [phone].
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There’s always more to explore
SCAQUARIUM.ORG/CALENDAR
MEMBER MOVIE NIGHT TADPOLE EXPLORERS JUMPBUNCH
JUNE 26 JULY 15 AUGUST 1
6:30 – 9 p.m. 8 – 9 a.m. 10 – 10:30 a.m.
Join us for a special evening to enjoy
Parents and children alike love to Let your little ones get their sillies out
Finding Dory in the Great Ocean Tank
explore the Aquarium in the morning! in a fun setting. Jump, dance, wiggle,
Gallery. Bring a pillow and watch a
Our 1- to 3-year-old friends can explore skip, play and have fun to music.
family-friendly film with your marine
stations including building blocks, Recommended for ages 18 months to 4
friends. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.,
crafts and animal encounters, and years. Free for members. Reservations
and the movie will begin promptly
have the Aquarium all to themselves required; to reserve, call (843) 579-
at 7 p.m. Free for members.
before the crowds arrive. Snacks, coffee 8518.
Reservations required; to reserve,
and muffins will be provided. $10 per
call [phone].
member child; two adults free per child.
Reservations required; to reserve, call DANCE MOVES
[phone].
SEA STARS AND STRIPES
AUGUST 10
10 – 10:30 a.m.
JULY 4
7 – 10 p.m. A fun and energetic class from Dance
Moves of Charleston! Explore basic
Spend your Fourth of July at the ballet moves, warm-ups, stretches,
Aquarium for fins, fireworks and fun movements across the floor, jumping
on the harbor! Watch a spectacular and turning. Girls and boys ages 2-6
fireworks show from the best view in are welcome. Comfortable clothing or
Charleston, and cool down inside as dance attire recommended. Free for
you visit our animals. Tickets include members. Reservations required; to
a delicious, sustainable Lowcountry reserve, call [phone].
boil dinner plus beer and wine. Visit
scaquarium.org to get yours!
DISCOVERY TRAWL SHARK WEEK
JULY 14 JULY 8 – 15
10 - 11:30 a.m. or 12:30 – 2 p.m.
Find fun shark activities around every
Take a one-of-a-kind boat tour in corner as we celebrate the ocean’s
partnership with the South Carolina apex predator. Enjoy special dive
Department of Natural Resources shows, educational stations and photo LEGEND:
(SCDNR). We’ll embark on SCDNR’s opportunities centered on sharks. MEMBERS ONLY / PUBLIC EVENT
Educational Vessel Discovery and Shark Week activities are free with
explore the wildlife in the Aquarium’s membership.
“backyard” by trawling in the For more information on our events
Charleston Harbor. Ages 10 and up. or programs, call (843) 577-FISH
Tickets $15. Reservations required; to (3474). If you are not receiving our
reserve, call [phone]. regular e-updates, please contact
[email protected].
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Zucker Family Signs are hung, lighting levels are of our help. It’s time to shed some
adjusted, and the settling dust from light on this awe-inspiring program.
construction is swept. The sea turtle
Sea Turtle
patients have already moved into That’s precisely what makes Sea
their tanks, unaware of their pristine Turtle Recovery so special—it’s both
Recovery™ new surroundings. Zucker Family Sea a hospital and an exhibit, making the
Turtle Recovery™ will soon be open real-life rehabilitation of sick and
to the public! injured sea turtles visible to every
Comes to Life
guest that visits the Aquarium.
This new experience is far from an
ordinary Aquarium display. Sea Turtle But it doesn’t stop there. Interactive
Recovery (for short) brings the day- stations further enable you to learn
to-day operations of our Sea Turtle the causes of sea turtle strandings
COUNTING DOWN THE FINAL
Hospital into full view on the first floor. and to practice diagnosing mock
DAYS UNTIL THE OPENING OF OUR For 16 years, these activities have been patients. Tablets referencing each
the daily routine for a dedicated team patient share that turtle’s story
BIGGEST UNDERTAKING YET, WE
of staff and volunteers working out of with you and detail its progress.
WATCH WITH EXCITEMENT AS THE our windowless, converted basement. A classroom and theater provide
And each year, the space has become a glimpse into what happens before
FINAL TOUCHES COME INTO PLACE.
more crowded as an even greater and after a turtle’s time in Sea
number of turtles are admitted in need Turtle Recovery.
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TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN
ZUCKER FAMILY SEA TURTLE RECOVERY™ OPENS ON MAY 27
1. UPGRADED TANKS A modern operating room is the
perfect space for our veterinarian
The opening of Sea Turtle Recovery
to perform surgical procedures,
nearly doubles our patient capacity.
benefiting our turtle patients as well
Not only are we able to help more
as the Aquarium’s permanent animal
turtles, but we also have adequate
residents. At times, you will even see a
space to properly treat large turtles
1 medical operation in progress through
like adult loggerheads, which can
the room’s viewing window!
grow to more than 300 pounds.
The floor of the tank area is elevated
about 2 feet off the ground, which not
3. INTERACTIVE MOCK
only helps you come face-to-face with
MEDICAL STATIONS
the patients, but also provides space
for the intricate plumbing and water Augmented reality technology enables
filtration systems that support Sea you to test your veterinary skills with
Turtle Recovery. You can see the turtles mock sea turtle patients. Follow the
clearly through the one-way glass, but same steps that our triage team does,
they can’t see you—helping to ensure taking vital signs and diagnosing the
2 T a minimum of stress as they recover. condition of synthetic turtles modeled
after the species and injuries that we
A special “endless pool” with a encounter most frequently here in
continuous current provides exercise our hospital.
and therapy opportunities for turtles
as they approach their release back At another station, practice your talent
into the wild. Sea Turtle Recovery is at the operating table! Learn about
one of the few sea turtle rehabilitation eight of the most common ailments
facilities in the U.S. to implement that we come across in the hospital,
this technology. and discover how we treat them with
hands-on activities.
2. IMPROVED MEDICAL FACILITY
3 4. CLASSROOM & OBJECT THEATER
Behind the walls of Sea Turtle
Recovery lies a fully renovated medical A 40-seat classroom and theater space
facility that enables our experts to hosts daily programs and features
provide world-class animal care. video expanding upon sea turtles’
journey from rescue to rehabilitation
A new CT scanner provides superior to release. To immerse viewers in the
3D diagnostic images, helping our sea turtle’s point of view, the room
veterinary staff see not just a turtle’s itself comes to life, using props, light
skeleton but also its internal organs and sound to underscore the context
to diagnose conditions in the lungs of the video.
or intestines. This scanner is of the
highest resolution currently housed
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in a marine science care center or
aquarium. Having this technology
on-site prevents us from having to
transport our patients to outside
offices for scans and helps to keep
their stress at a minimum.
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MEET THE SEA TURTLE CARE CENTER™ TEAM
“I’m most excited about having our own CT machine. It will make it possible to
better evaluate the turtles’ conditions, and it’ll cause them less stress.”
Shane provides day-to-day guidance for the health and welfare of not only the
sea turtle patients, but every animal in the Aquarium’s collection! He loves
giving the animals the best quality of life and helping those that are sick or
injured. He diagnoses turtle patients during triage, monitors their nutrition,
medicine and surgical procedures, and approves their release when they are
healthy enough to survive in the wild. Shane serves on the Executive Board of
the American Association of Fish Veterinarians and is the recipient of several
DR. SHANE BOYLAN awards, including the Proficiency in Zoological Medicine Award from North
McNair Family Chief Veterinarian Carolina State University.
“The most exciting part of Sea Turtle Recovery, for me, is giving all our guests the
chance to see and learn about these sick and injured turtles. I hope having that up-
close and personal interaction will inspire more people to care about conservation,
and take personal action to minimize their impact on the ocean ecosystem.”
Willow keeps the Sea Turtle Care Center running like a well-oiled machine. She
oversees the feeding and medication of each turtle, taking each one’s condition and
unique needs into consideration, and works with our team of educators to design
the daily programs interpreting the activities going on in Sea Turtle Recovery.
She began her career with the South Carolina Aquarium as an intern in 2011 and
WILLOW MELAMET spent time as a wildlife rehabilitator at the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife
Sea Turtle Care Center™ Manager in Sanibel, Florida before returning to Charleston to work in our Sea Turtle Hospital.
“I’m beyond excited that every detail in Zucker Family Sea Turtle Recovery is
designed with the best interest of our patients in mind. From minimal sound levels
and lighting, to medical equipment and tank size, this hospital is first class!”
Kelly started volunteering for the Aquarium in 1997 and joined the staff as an
aquarist in 1999, before the Aquarium even opened to the public. From 2004 to
2016, she managed the Sea Turtle Care Center, developing the program into what
it is today. She now helps to advance all of the Aquarium’s conservation programs,
including Good Catch, the Resilience Initiative for Coastal Education and initiatives
to combat plastic pollution. Kelly is the recipient of several awards, including a
KELLY THORVALSON Women of Distinction Award in Environmental Education from the Girl Scouts of
Conservation Programs Manager Eastern South Carolina in 2010 and the Victor Samra Leadership Award in 2012.
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MCNAIR CENTER FOR SEA TURTLE
RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION
IMPROVING THE WELLBEING OF SEA TURTLES EVERYWHERE
With Zucker Family Sea Turtle Recovery™, we’re ensuring that patients’ injuries and illnesses, and present it to the
we provide the best care and rehabilitation for sea turtles scientific community so that researchers all over
while they’re at the Aquarium, but we know their journey the world can benefit.
doesn’t end here. That’s why we’ve also committed ourselves
to protecting sea turtles worldwide through the work of the The McNair Center will also enable us to partner with
McNair Center for Sea Turtle Research and Conservation. additional groups that work to help sea turtles, including
colleges, veterinary offices, public research agencies and
The new McNair Center will serve as the Aquarium’s in- other turtle rescue facilities. Working through the McNair
house research facility especially for sea turtle knowledge. Center, we’ll publish research about the healing techniques
Although Sea Turtle Recovery is new, we have been used here at the South Carolina Aquarium, like our new
rehabilitating turtles since 2000, providing us with more exercise pool and CT scanner. By sharing our findings, we’ll
than 16 years of data to analyze for trends about sea turtle empower our partners to improve the wellbeing of sea
health. We’ll take what we’ve learned from our turtle turtles everywhere.
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TURTLE TEAMS MAKING A DIFFERENCE
It takes a village to save sea turtles sweltering with heat or pouring down across a sick or injured turtle, they
– or, in South Carolina’s case, it takes rain, the volunteers mobilize to protect contact SCDNR, the state agency that
22 villages! That’s how many coastal sea turtles. is authorized to respond to sea turtle
communities have Turtle Teams, groups strandings. Because the Aquarium is
of trained volunteers who work with One critical duty of the Turtle Teams the only dedicated hospital for sea
the South Carolina Department of is to identify nests that are laid too turtles in our state, almost all of these
Natural Resources (SCDNR) to protect far down the beach to withstand the turtles are then transported here for
sea turtles during nesting season. rising tides and therefore are at risk of further care and treatment.
being overwashed. These nests must
Volunteering with a Turtle Team be unearthed and relocated at higher
is rewarding, but it’s not always elevation to protect the developing
glamorous! These volunteers monitor turtle eggs. For threatened species like
the beaches every day for new nests the loggerhead, our state reptile, the
and stranded turtles. Some of the success of every hatchling counts.
areas they monitor, like Cape Romain
National Wildlife Refuge, are difficult The turtle teams are also critical to
to reach and full of mosquitoes. locate turtles that need the Aquarium’s
Regardless of whether the day is care. When the volunteers come
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