Oregon Coast Aquarium Offering Animal Encounters, Sleepovers and a Trip to the Mudflats

By Cindy Hanson

Newport, OR - Activities for all ages are planned for Home School Days and spring break at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. In addition to daily animal feedings and hands-on exhibits, the Aquarium will offer animal encounters, sleepovers and a trip to the mudflats of an estuary. “This is a wonderful opportunity for families to enjoy themselves at the beach while learning about marine science and spending time together,” said Sean Nolan, Academic Programs Coordinator. “Our educators are deeply dedicated to inspiring kids connect with nature.”

March 18 - 19 Home School Days 10 am - 5 pm All ages

Presentations, experiments, and interactions with live animals are just a few of the things offered, including hands-on activities and displays for kids of all ages. World of Water Presentations, learning stations, dive presentations, an undersea lab and a Giant ocean sunfish dissection are all part of the activities. Students will learn all about the ocean world through several explorations throughout the Aquarium.

Phoenix Zoo's Annual 21 and Over Party Fundraiser is Now Called Rock the Zoo

By Carolina Guana

Phoenix, AZ - The event formerly known as ZooBrew is back for 2010 and wilder than ever. Now called Rock the Zoo, this annual 21 and over party fundraiser promises plenty of music and merriment while raising money for the Phoenix Zoo. Nationally-recorded alternative rock band Vertical Horizon will energize the crowd with live performances throughout the night, while Marcy Playground will also make a guest appearance. Guests can sample beverages from more than 30 vendors ranging from national and small craft breweries to large scale and independent wineries. A silent auction and a host of other fun activities will round out the evening.

To “get your wild on” at this unique event, call 602.914.4333 or purchase tickets online at www.phoenixzoo.org/RocktheZoo2010. Guests must be 21 years and older; ID’s will be checked at the door.

Indianapolis Zoo Will Get to See Thousands of Amazing Butterflies

By Maura Giles

Indianapolis, IN - Fluttering, colorful and much-anticipated—the very popular “Butterflies presented by Citizens Energy Group” returns to the Indianapolis Zoo’s White River Gardens Hilbert Conservatory for a 12th season beginning March 20, and continuing through September 7. Thousands of free-flying exotic and native butterflies, combined with the gentle sounds of flowing water and soothing music, create a calming ambiance inside the Hilbert Conservatory. It’s a unique experience in beauty and relaxation, right in the heart of Indianapolis.

New This Year: Visitors will still get to see the thousands of amazing butterflies, and this year, they can participate in a scavenger hunt! Also, guests can enjoy the new layout, with the emerging chamber in the center of the Conservatory allowing everyone to watch the release of the butterflies. Butterfly releases will take place each day (as nature allows), with the various times posted at the exhibit.

MOBOT Offers a Range of Workshops in Botany, Biology, Ecology, Etc.

By Julie Bierach

St. Louis, MO - Teachers, do you want to learn how to do inquiry with your students, and learn how to assess inquiry-based lessons? Are you interested in learning about different energy sources and sustainability? Would you like to create an outdoor classroom at your school? Could technology help your students really get involved in their studies? If so, the Missouri Botanical Garden, along with Shaw Nature Reserve, EarthWays Center and Litzsinger Road Ecology Center are offering you that chance this summer.

This summer, the Garden will offer a range of workshops in botany, biology, ecology, environmental studies, and science education. Some schools and districts count Garden professional development toward district-required professional development units. College credit is available for all summer classes.

Nationwide Insurance will Have a Presence in Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild

By Patty Peters

Columbus, OH -  Jack Hanna announced today a new partnership with Nationwide Insurance. Hanna’s popular syndicated TV show, Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild and his national speaking tour, “Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild LIVE” will be sponsored by Nationwide Insurance®.

“I’m pleased to begin this new relationship with my longtime friends at Nationwide Insurance,” said Hanna. “I’ve spent my whole career as an advocate for animals and conservation. My partnership with Nationwide Insurance is a natural fit because they are advocates too – for their customers, their hometown community, and their hometown zoo.

On March 14th Visitors Will Get to Meet the Salmon Pink Bird-eating Tarantula

By Meghan Calhoun

New Orleans, LA - Who would have thought that the eight-legged creatures that are the inspiration for so many horror movies actually have a very important role in our environment and even our lives? Spiders have been around long before dinosaurs walked the earth. During the millions of years of their existence they have certainly earned a bad rap. On March 14th, 2010, Audubon Insectarium in New Orleans is setting the record straight on these amazing arthropods and why our fears are greatly exaggerated.

Spiders are an important part of the ecological balance of this world, without them our lives would be much less pleasant (and much more fly ridden!). They are clever, useful, diverse, fascinating and often beautiful as well. There are aeronautic spiders, designer spiders, spiders that hunt with a bolas, others that throw a net over their prey. There are perfumer spiders that use false pheromones to attract moths, aquanaut spiders that dive beneath the water and engineer spiders what build underground tunnels with well fitted doors.

Construction will Include a New Aquarium, Theatre, Classrooms and a Lab

By Jim Cornall

St. Andrew, Canada - The new discovery centre at the Huntsman Marine Science Centre moved one step closer this week with some new designs created by Comeau MacKenzie Architects.

Construction of the new facility, which will include a new aquarium, theatre, classrooms and a lab, will begin in the spring, with the aquarium set to open in June 2011.The cost of the new centre is $8 million, with $5 million of that contributed from the federal and provincial governments, and the remainder being raised by the Huntsman. With $1 million already raised through previous fund-raising, the Seal the Deal campaign was launched in October to find the additional $2 million needed. That campaign has already reached the $600,000 mark, and efforts to reach the goal are ongoing.

“DinoQuest: A Tropical Trek Through Time” at Missouri Botanical Garden

By Karen Hagenow

St. Louis, MO - Hidden within the lush greenery of a thriving tropical rain forest, visitors to the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis will experience an excitement eons in the making. Encounter dozens of realistic, prehistoric creatures taking up residence inside the famed Climatron® dome during “DinoQuest: A Tropical Trek Through Time.” Join the adventure May 1 through Oct. 3 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Exhibit entry is $5 for adults and $3 for children (ages three to 12), in addition to regular Garden admission.

Since 1960, the Climatron has easily been one of the most recognizable features at the Garden, noted as the first geodesic dome to be used as a plant conservatory. Inside, verdant foliage, cascading waterfalls and a warm, humid climate simulate an authentic jungle atmosphere. In celebration of this icon’s golden anniversary in 2010, visitors of all ages will be transported back in time to the golden age of dinosaurs, discovering the important connections between living creatures and Earth’s ecosystems in the past, present—and future.

LEGOLAND Florida Opens at the End of 2011 and Will be the Biggest LEGOLAND Park

By Julie Estrada

Polk County, FL - The excitement is building since the announcement of LEGOLAND® Florida in January, and now future guests and job seekers can follow the progress of the family theme park at www.LEGOLANDFloridaResort.com. The website includes a press page with photos and video of LEGOLAND® California, a link to all available job opportunities with Merlin Entertainments and a link to LEGOLAND® California Resort.

Due to the strong interest from contractors, a separate email has been set up for those wishing to introduce their company and offer their services to Merlin Entertainments. All those inquiries should be addressed to LLFContractors@LEGOLAND.com.

Life-size Replicas of Prehistoric Arthropods at Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House

By Karen Hagenow

St. Louis, MO - Enormous, ancient creatures are invading the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House in Chesterfield this year! See life-size replicas of prehistoric arthropods, explore displays of their living relatives and learn about how these animals have changed over millions of years when the “Jurassic Bugs” exhibition crawls into town, Saturday, May 1 through Sunday, Oct. 3. Hours through Memorial Day are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday (closed Mondays); from Memorial Day through Labor Day, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The exhibition is included with Butterfly House admission.

Fossil records indicate that some animals were enormous as compared to today’s specimens. Encounter five of these oversized species taking up temporary residence inside the central exhibit hallway.

At Prospect Park Zoo Can Now See the Vibrant Red Coats of Red Pandas

By Fran Hackett

Brooklyn, NY - Because of their striking appearance, red panda's Qin, a male, and Mei Lin, a female, are hard to miss. Visitors to the Wildlife Conservation Society's (WCS) Prospect Park Zoo can see their vibrant red coats and pale white faces on the zoo's Discovery Trail. Both pandas spend their time climbing trees and exploring their surroundings. "From January through March visitors can see Qin and Mei Lin playfully court each other as their mating season is at its peak," says WCS Prospect Park Zoo's Facilities Director Denise McClean.

Red pandas are often called "fire foxes" because of the color of their coats. They will use their tails, which are almost as long as their bodies, to keep warm during the chilly months.

An Estimated Million Bats have Died in the United States From White-nose Syndrome

By Lindsay Renick Mayer

Washington, DC - Last November, the National Zoo accepted 40 endangered Virginia big-eared bats (Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus) to establish a security population and scientifically develop husbandry practices—a feat no one else has undertaken with this subspecies. In the months since, efforts to keep the bats alive have proved challenging, but the lessons Zoo scientists have learned will help save these, and other, insectivorous bats in the future. Last year the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service funded this and other research projects focused on white-nose syndrome and bat survival. The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources has also assisted with the project.

An estimated million bats have died in the Northeastern United States from white-nose syndrome, a disease characterized by a white cold-loving fungus that invades the skin of the bat (mainly the muzzle, ears and wings). The bats lose their fat reserves and ultimately starve. The bat colony has been living at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (formerly the Conservation Research Center) in Front Royal, Va. The possible extinction of an endangered subspecies, and the loss of its essential role in local ecosystems, were the reasons the National Zoo accepted the high-risk project.

26-foot-long Mosaic Whale is Made of Bottle Tops, Sun Glasses, Toys, Shovels, Etc.

By Beth Chee

Carlsbad, CA - Today SEA LIFE™ Aquarium hosted the public debut of “Beach Trash, A Whale of a Problem,” an inspirational project teaching kids they really can make a difference – one piece of trash at a time. Six first grade classes from Jefferson Elementary in Carlsbad have been collecting beach trash since October and have worked with environmental artist Teresa Espaniola to turn it into a life-sized gray whale mosaic – all while learning about the ocean and the role they can play in saving our seas.

“Little Gray,” as the whale is called by the students, is on display at SEA LIFE Aquarium until the middle of April when it migrates to a new home. The 26-foot-long mosaic is both beautiful and alarming – it is made of bottle tops, sun glasses, toys, shovels, a watch, a cell phone, and even a pair of dentures – all found on local beaches. 

Meet With SpongeBob SquarePants and His Underwater Friends at Vancouver Aquarium

By Kent Hurl

Vancouver, Canada - The Vancouver Aquarium proudly presents Spring Break at the Aquarium, today through Sunday, March 14th. Bring your family to meet and greet SpongeBob SquarePants™ and his underwater friends daily during spring break from March 5 through March 14. And, watch his movie on the big screen in our 4D Experience theatre.

Starting today, Aquarium visitors can meet and greet SpongeBob SquarePants daily from 10am – 1pm! You’ll also meet some of his underwater friends at our Touch Pools where you can actually touch and feel living marine life like sticky sea anemones and spiny sea stars.

Five Golden Tickets will be Handed Out at Random Entitling People to Help at an Animal Feed

By Philip Knowling

Torquay, UK - Living Coasts, Torquay’s coastal zoo, is opening for free on Saturday 6th March.

The conservation charity’s first free day - on 12th February 2009 - saw a record 2,256 people through the doors.

Living Coasts Director Elaine Hayes said: “This is a great way for locals to have a look around Living Coasts before the holidaymakers arrive. The day was so popular last year we are having to limit free entry this year.”

Rocky Shore Guide is a Wonderful Resource for Anyone Visiting a New Zealand Seashore

By Tessa Mills

Portobello, New Zealand - We will be cutting a CAKE to celebrate the launch of the New Zealand Rocky Shore Guide on Sunday 7th March, at the New Zealand Marine Studies Centre at Portobello.

The official launch takes place at 3pm down on the shore (weather permitting) - otherwise in the NZ Marine Studies Centre.

The Rocky Shore Guide is a wonderful resource for anyone visiting a New Zealand seashore. It has been produced by the NZ Marine Studies Centre with support from Mobil. There are two guides - Northern and Southern New Zealand versions for regional differences. Free copies will be available to all Aquarium visitors and those attending the launch.

Night Safari’s Himalayan Tahr Collection Now Stands at 12 Females and 10 Males

By Kumar Pillai

Singapore - January saw multiple births of Himalayan tahr at Night Safari. Four year old Aman, who has been at the park for more than two years, became a proud father four times over last month.

In total Aman has sired seven offspring since his arrival. The four additions were born to four different females. Night Safari’s Himalayan tahr collection now stands at 12 females and 10 males.

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Name: Elaine Hayes

Actual title: Director

Name of your aquarium: Living Coasts

Location: Torquay, Devon, UK

URL for your facility: www.livingcoasts.org.uk

Number of species at your facility: >50

Your favorite critter at the facility: Macaroni penguins

Total number of animals or fish at your facility: 404 birds and mannals, plus another 100 fish species – archer fish, mudskippers, stingrays, seahorses, etc.

Number of visitors annually: 120,000

Number of employees: 40-60

Number of volunteers: 20

Annual budget: £1.5m

Name: Stewart Muir

Actual title: Director

Name of your zoo: Newquay Zoo

Location: Newquay, Cornwall, England, UK

URL for your facility: www.newquayzoo.org.uk

Number of species at your facility: 151

Your favorite critter at the facility: That’s a difficult question which I’m often asked. I am fortunate in that my position allows me to include many of my favourite animals in the collection. Individually, I suppose “Alvin” our Education Department’s skunk as he lived with me for some time when he was small.

Total number of animals or fish at your facility: 549

Number of visitors annually: 190,000

Number of employees: 50

Number of volunteers: 30

Annual budget: £2m

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