Super Chili Joins Coral Conservation Efforts The Florida Aquarium 2023-08-01 | Meet Super Chili! This coral polyp joined our team on a trip to Keys Marine Laboratory to help transport elkhorn coral from our partners at Mote Marine Laboratory, Coral Restoration Foundation, Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, and Reef Renewal USA, Inc. to our Apollo Beach campus! See what Super Chili has been up to as we all come together to help corals on Florida's reef. --------------------------------------Meet Super Chilibulkreefsupply.com/content/post/super-chili-the-florida-aquarium--------------------------------------Buy Super Chili, Limited July Edition of Mr. Chili bit.ly/3QgwfMh--------------------------------------Learn about our coral conservation program flaquarium.org/conservation/coral-conservation-program--------------------------------------Aperture brand BRS (Bulkreefsupply.com) and The FloridaAquarium have joined forces to offer a wonderful collection of co-branded merchandise. What makes this partnership truly special is that 100% of the net proceeds from the merchandise sales will be donated to The Florida Aquarium. These funds will be utilized to support the aquarium's vital conservation efforts, specifically focused on the protection and preservation of Florida's critically endangered coral reef.
Summers with Chef: Coral Veggie Hummus The Florida Aquarium 2023-07-23 | Welcome to Summer with Chef! We dive into the kitchen with our expert chefs to creat fun and tasty creations that are perfect for the whole family this summer. This week we round out Coral Awareness Week with a imaginative hummus topped with mixed veggies to create your very own colorful coral reef! The vibrant colors and full coral scene reflect the healthy reefs our team of dedicated biologists are working to revitalize for future generations through conservation efforts. Ingredients: - Garlic Lemon Hummus - Kale - Cherry Tomatoes - Sugar Snap Peas - Starfruit - Carnival Cauliflower - Celery with tops - Halved Carrots
Now Open: MORPHD The Florida Aquarium 2023-07-14 | Dive into the amazing sights, sounds and experiences from tree level to sea level at The Florida Aquarium! Explore animal habitats featuring animals from right here in our own backyard to exotic locations throughout the globe. From mysterious sand tiger sharks and playful otters, to tiny seahorses and inquisitive sea turtles, you’ll never know what you’ll discover when you visit the wide variety of animal species at The Florida Aquarium.
Building MORPHD at The Florida Aquarium The Florida Aquarium 2023-06-30 | Months of hard work, late nights, and boundless creativity come together for an Aquarium experience like you've never seen before! Tomorrow, The Florida Aquarium presents MORPH'D! Where world-class animal care meets immersive sensory discoveries, this new adventure will challenge perception and unveil the unique wonders of aquatic life.From Eric Hovland, the Associate Curator over this experience: "The Florida Aquarium has undergone significant changes, just as I have transformed in my career from Biologist to Associate Curator over the span of nearly 30 years. This shift could not be better illustrated than with the introduction of our new changing exhibits gallery, with the appropriate moniker, MORPH’D! This gallery features a variety of exceptional animals with unique abilities found throughout our blue planet. MORPH’D! boasts 18 new habitats and a multitude of interactive exhibits that celebrate these extraordinary creatures. Among them, I feel personally connected to the mudskipper. This literal fish out of water has adapted to an environment both above and below the surface, skipping boldly through each day with curious rotating eyes that inspired an 11-year-old burgeoning marine biologist. At The Florida Aquarium, we have accomplished something truly remarkable. Despite facing the typical challenges of constructing a new gallery, our diverse and specialized team has worked tirelessly to bring our vision to life. Together, we have created an inspiring and interactive conservation message that will resonate with visitors. This achievement represents only the beginning of a series of remarkable endeavors that await us here at The Florida Aquarium. Our team is dedicated to continued success and the pursuit of our mission."
🌊We are passionate about the #ocean! Here are five fascinating facts from our own ocean advocates. The Florida Aquarium 2023-06-08 | ...
How To Feed Paddlefish The Florida Aquarium 2023-06-06 | Open wide! Paddlefish are filter feeders that swim at their food with mouths wide open to catch small prey in their gill rakers.Biologist Nick demonstrated how to feed paddlefish in a behind-the-scene look at quarantine! With a slurry of flakes, multiple-sized pellets, frozen shrimp, worms, and copepods, Nick sends the mixture through a feeding apparatus that delivers the food into the water column. Find jaw-dropping animals like the paddlefish and more in MORPH'D! A transformative experience opening this summer.
Kalan the Loggerhead Sea Turtle Released Back Into The Ocean The Florida Aquarium 2023-05-31 | Our Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center in Apollo Beach celebrates another success story with Kalan, the loggerhead sea turtle, returning to the ocean! Kalan came to The Florida Aquarium after being initially triaged and cared for at Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium in February of this year. Upon transfer to our facility, she received supportive care and further antibiotics to treat the adverse effects of Red Tide intoxication. Join in our celebration by tracking Kalan’s progress through the Gulf on our website! (Thanks to the Sea Turtle Conservancy) Details of her journey are expected to begin transmitting within the next week here: flaquarium.org/conservation/sea-turtle-conservation-program/sea-turtle-tracking All sea turtle rehabilitation work conducted by The Florida Aquarium is done with the approval of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission) under conditions not harmful to marine turtles and authorized under conservation activities pursuant to FWC MTP-23-179
Grooved Brain Coral Spawn for the 4th Consecutive Year at The Florida Aquarium The Florida Aquarium 2023-05-25 | The Florida Aquarium celebrates as grooved brain coral spawns for the fourth consecutive year at our Apollo Beach campus! The atmosphere was filled with excitement as Diploria labyrinthiformis gametes ascended into the water column, marking the beginning of coral spawning season. The success was seen in both the greenhouse and lab, demonstrating the effectiveness of this team’s meticulously calculated techniques. In an effort to replicate the natural environment of corals, lab-induced methods involve replicating sunrises, sunsets, moon rises, and moonsets. By creating these delicate settings, the team triggers the same natural processes that corals experience in the ocean. The significance of this achievement cannot be overstated, considering the alarming rate at which Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease has claimed approximately 48% of these corals. With the loss of such a substantial portion of the population, it becomes even more critical to focus on successful breeding efforts to restore Florida's Coral Reef. Each successful spawn is a cause for celebration and a testament to the dedicated individuals who have devoted their careers to this work. These achievements bring us one step closer to a sustained and healthier reef for future generations.
MORPHD! A New Experience Opening at The Florida Aquarium The Florida Aquarium 2023-05-05 | The Florida Aquarium’s exciting new gallery, MORPH’D, officially opens this summer! With 18 species from around the globe – like the axolotl, paddlefish and chameleon – the gallery will immerse guests in the adaptations of some of nature’s most remarkable species. All with the goal of inspiring a deeper connection to nature.The debut of the MORPH’D gallery marks completion of the first of three phases in The Florida Aquarium’s $40 million expansion plan.Located in the Aquarium’s new 3,700-square foot special exhibit hall, MORPH’D brings guests on a journey of exploration; introducing a diversity of animals that are perfectly evolved to survive. Featuring curious creatures, interactive exhibits, and multimedia experiences, the gallery serves to encourage learning and spark conservation action.Other species will also include epaulette sharks, archerfish, four-eyed fish and bird poop frog and more.As part of the Aquarium’s expansion, MORPH’D and the new special exhibit hall is the first step in the Aquarium’s transformative journey.
Its Gopher Tortoise Day! #DYK this keystone species prefers eating flowers like the hibiscus? 🌺 The Florida Aquarium 2023-04-10 | ...
If our animals had walk-up songs, this is what they’d be! ⚾️ #mlbopeningday The Florida Aquarium 2023-03-30 | ...
Unbox epaulette sharks with us, one of the many exciting new species coming soon! The Florida Aquarium 2023-02-27 | ...
From 150lb sharks to 2-inch reef fish, our animal care team provides the same level of care! The Florida Aquarium 2023-02-20 | ...
Top 10 reasons why you should vote for us in USA Today’s 10Best Aquariums! 🔗 on our channel! The Florida Aquarium 2023-02-15 | ...
An Update on Rescued Cold-Stun Sea Turtles The Florida Aquarium 2023-02-07 | Check out the latest with our sea turtles rescued from a cold stun event in New England! We are happy to report that since filming this video, 5 of the turtles were upgraded to stable condition. This means the countdown to their release has begun!You can learn more about our Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center in Apollo Beach on our website: flaquarium.org/conservation/sea-turtle-conservation-program All sea turtle rehabilitation work conducted by The Florida Aquarium is done with the approval of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) under conditions not harmful to marine turtles and authorized under conservation activities pursuant to FWC MTP-23-179.
Fun is in The Water at The Florida Aquarium The Florida Aquarium 2023-01-09 | What is in the water at The Florida Aquarium?Discover all there is to offer at this Tampa Bay Aquarium from the "Woah's" to the "Go's"!
Start your morning with the symphony of songbirds in our Florida Wetlands dome! 🎶 The Florida Aquarium 2023-01-05 | ...
Join Animal Care Biologist Chayna as we feed our brown pelican and cormorants! The Florida Aquarium 2023-01-04 | ...
How To Move Hundreds of Fish at The Florida Aquarium The Florida Aquarium 2022-12-31 | Two teams worked together to accomplish a large-scale fish move! This carefully choreographed effort involved both Animal Care and Marine Ops teams to relocate fully grown fish from the shallow side of the coral reef habitat to the deep side. By doing so, we are providing space for newer juvenile additions that have cleared quarantine while giving the larger fish species room to thrive. The coral reef habitat at The Florida Aquarium consists of two distinct spaces with varying depths. The ‘deep side,’ which can be seen on the left hand of our coral reef tunnel and at the coral reef panoramic window, is home to our larger fish species, elasmobranchs, etc. The ‘shallows,’ seen at the entrance of the coral reef gallery and the right hand of our coral reef tunnel, is home to our smaller fish species. The shallows provides a habitat where juvenile fish can grow. The relocation is a carefully choreographed process that allows our team of animal care professionals to relocate fully grown fish from the shallow side to the deep. By doing so, we are also able to provide space for newer additions like those fish clearing quarantine protocol. It is a large undertaking that requires multiple divers working in unison to help ensure the long-term wellbeing of the animals in our care. After several hours, the teams were able to move hundreds of fish! “We have experienced biologists that were able to teach our newer biologists how to school and safely secure fish.” – Anna Garcia, Senior Biologist
Volunteer Ken Mosers Stained Glass Legacy The Florida Aquarium 2022-12-02 | Learn the heart-warming story of how volunteer Ken Moser found a hobby that brought him and his wife together; and brought colorful art to The Florida Aquarium!
Follow the subtle hiss in Madagascar to find one of the largest species of cockroach! #bugs The Florida Aquarium 2022-10-24 | ...
Don’t be part of the problem, place trash in the proper receptacles! #iamtheproblem #taylorswift The Florida Aquarium 2022-10-21 | ...
Goliath groupers are here! Check our channel for the full story! The Florida Aquarium 2022-10-05 | ...
Goliath Groupers Arrive at The Florida Aquarium The Florida Aquarium 2022-10-05 | You're not seeing double; TWO new goliath groupers have made their debut in our Coral Reefs Gallery and Bridge Pilings Habitat! These giant fish have completed our extensive quarantine process where vet staff performs exams and animal care staff begin target feeding training. Hear from Chris Schreiber, Director of Animal Care, and Nick Lockert, Biologist I to learn what goes into introducing new animals to habitats here at the Florida Aquarium in Tampa Bay. ===================================🦈 Adopt an Animalflaquarium.org/get-involved/donate/adopt-an-animal🐠 Visit Usflaquarium.org/visit/get-tickets🐧 Love the aquarium? Become a member! flaquarium.org/visit/membership===================================#goliathgrouper #grouper #animalcare #zoo #aquarium #tampabay #tampaflorida
Watch A Southern Stingrays Annual Exam The Florida Aquarium 2022-09-01 | Stingrays get annual exams too! Shelly the southern stingray recently had her annual check-up that included bloodwork, ultrasounds, disk-width and weight. #funfacts Shelly is the oldest stingray at The Florida Aquarium; having been here since we opened! Find her in the Coral Reef habitat with her unique, crooked tail.===================================🦈 Adopt a Shark ► bit.ly/AdoptAnimal🐠 Visit Us: flaquarium.org/visit/get-tickets🐧 Love the aquarium? Become a member! flaquarium.org/visit/membership===================================Connect with us on social:Facebook: facebook.com/floridaaquariumInstagram: instagram.com/floridaaquariumTwitter: twitter.com/floridaaquariumTikTok: tiktok.com/@the_florida_aquariumLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/the-florida-aquarium/mycompany===================================#stingray #rays #animals #animalcare #aquarium #floridaaquarium #veterinary #aza
Annual Exam for Charlie the Nurse Shark The Florida Aquarium 2022-07-27 | Sharks have check-ups too! It's time for Charlie the Nurse Shark's annual exam. Learn how we provide world-class animal health care to our elasmobranchs with annual exams, where our team of veterinarians collect blood work, ultrasounds, and measurements.===================================🦈 Adopt a Shark ► bit.ly/AdoptAnimal🐠 Visit Us: flaquarium.org/visit/get-tickets🐧 Love the aquarium? Become a member! flaquarium.org/visit/membership===================================Connect with us on social:Facebook: facebook.com/floridaaquariumInstagram: instagram.com/floridaaquariumTwitter: twitter.com/floridaaquariumTikTok: tiktok.com/@the_florida_aquariumLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/the-florida-aquarium===================================#SharkWeek #Shark #Sharks #Ocean #veterinary #marinelife #marineanimals #oceananimals #animals
Growing Time The Florida Aquarium 2022-07-17 | Imagine working to put yourself out of a job! That's exactly what the incredible team of coral biologists at The Florida Aquarium are doing every day. Learn more about The Florida Aquarium's critical coral conservation efforts to kick off #CoralReefAwarenessWeek===================================🌍 Get Involved ► flaquarium.org/get-involved🐠 Visit Us: flaquarium.org/visit/get-tickets🐧 Love the aquarium? Become a member! flaquarium.org/visit/membership===================================Connect with us on social:Facebook: facebook.com/floridaaquariumInstagram: instagram.com/floridaaquariumTwitter: twitter.com/floridaaquariumTikTok: tiktok.com/@the_florida_aquariumLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/the-florida-aquarium===================================
Don’t forget to stand up and stretch! The green moral eel can grow to a whopping 8ft! The Florida Aquarium 2022-06-22 | ...
Relocating Red Drum - A Giant Team Effort The Florida Aquarium 2022-06-22 | Before the sun rose, many of The Florida Aquarium’s animal care staff were getting their fins wet in the relocation of some of our biggest and oldest fish residents! Associate Curator Cristy Barrett walks through the planning and effort that went into moving our giant Red Drum fish from their Florida Wetlands habitat to a deeper and larger home. “Those giant red drum have been in that habitat since we opened!” - Cristy Barrett Get a new and up-close view of these giants in our Bays and Beaches gallery. Don’t forget to stop by and say hello to the new fish in the Florida Wetlands dome! ===================================🐠 Visit Us: flaquarium.org/visit/get-tickets🌍 Get Involved ► flaquarium.org/get-involved🐧 Love the aquarium? Become a member! flaquarium.org/visit/membership===================================Connect with us on social:Facebook: facebook.com/floridaaquariumInstagram: instagram.com/floridaaquariumTwitter: twitter.com/floridaaquariumTikTok: tiktok.com/@the_florida_aquariumLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/the-florida-aquarium
Corals Raised at The Florida Aquarium are Outplanted to Help Save Florida’s Coral Reef The Florida Aquarium 2022-06-07 | Recently, our coral biologists relocated 560 corals at an offshore reef site near Long Key, FL, in our continued efforts to help restore Florida’s Coral Reef. Including four species - boulder brain (Colpophyllia natans), grooved brain (Diploria labyrinthiformis), symmetrical brain (Pseudodiploria strigosa) and spiny flower (Mussa angulosa) – all corals were bred and raised at The Florida Aquarium’s Center for Conservation. The team spent three days at the site under near perfect conditions. With incredible weather and fantastic underwater visibility, we were able to find an ideal site on Tennessee Reef. All corals are offspring from parent colonies collected as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Florida Reef Tract Rescue Project, led by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and NOAA Fisheries. These juvenile corals, between 20 and 24 months old, were raised from larvae produced during Aquarium spawning events conducted at the Center for Conservation in 2020. Activities were conducted under permit in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.===================================🌍 Get Involved ► flaquarium.org/get-involved🐠 Visit Us: flaquarium.org/visit/get-tickets🐧 Love the aquarium? Become a member! flaquarium.org/visit/membership===================================Connect with us on social:Facebook: facebook.com/floridaaquariumInstagram: instagram.com/floridaaquariumTwitter: twitter.com/floridaaquariumTikTok: tiktok.com/@the_florida_aquariumLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/the-florida-aquarium===================================Project Partners: AZA Florida Reef Tract Rescue Project: aza.org/coral-reef-rescueFlorida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission: myfwc.com NOAA Fisheries: fisheries.noaa.govKeys Marine Lab: https://www.fio.usf.edu/keys-marine-lab/
New Parking at The Florida Aquarium! The Florida Aquarium 2022-05-28 | As part of the parking lot redesign, the City of Tampa’s Parking Division will provide frictionless parking to The Florida Aquarium guests beginning on May 28, 2022. Frictionless parking is an automated solution that allows drivers to enter the surface lot without stopping to take a ticket. Drivers will also exit the surface lot without stopping to interact with parking equipment.There is a new entrance to the Aquarium’s parking lot, located north of the Aquarium off the east side of the circle at Channelside Drive.Designated accessible parking is available on a first-come, first-serve basis in The Florida Aquarium parking lot.FAQ --- flaquarium.org/visit/plan-your-visit/directions-parking/#frictionless-parking-faqDriving Directions Google Maps --- google.com/maps/dir//27.94501,-82.44501/@27.94501,-82.4452273,19zMembers --- flaquarium.org/visit/membership/stay-current
A Brown Pelican Finds Forever Home At The Florida Aquarium The Florida Aquarium 2022-05-21 | The Florida Wetlands Dome, with our world-class healthcare, is the forever home to a new brown pelican! This young bird was deemed non-releasable due to a previously healed fracture on her right wing after being rescued from Clearwater. Come visit her and learn more about the unique animals in our care!
Two Roseate Spoonbills Join the Florida Wetlands Habitat The Florida Aquarium 2022-05-14 | Dr. John performed entrance exams on two roseate spoonbills that came to The Florida Aquarium from the Dallas Fort Worth Zoo. These exams provide baselines for future medical care and screen each animal before joining the rest of the flock in the Florida Wetlands habitat.
Coral Survivors of SCTLD Arrive at The Florida Aquarium The Florida Aquarium 2022-04-22 | Since 2014, Florida's coral reef has been experiencing stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) which has now spread across the entirety of our reef and in multiple regions of the Caribbean. Once a coral begins to lose living tissue, observations show that the colony will likely die within weeks to months without active intervention. The Florida Aquarium is a key partner in critical interventions to reduce the impact of this devastating disease.These corals were collected by our partners on the Florida Coral Rescue Team, led by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and NOAA Fisheries, and held as part of the AZA Florida Reef Tract Rescue Project. These corals are survivors of the SCTLD outbreak that were collected from the northern portion of Florida's coral reef, where SCTLD is no longer an epidemic.
False Pilchards at The Florida Aquarium The Florida Aquarium 2022-04-12 | Watch the rapid underwater movement of our new school of false pilchards in this color changing environment. When threatened, false pilchards will condense to form a tight cluster as a defense mechanism against predation. Find these fish in our Coral Reef habitat, amongst others.
Planting for Gopher Tortoises with St. Petersburg College STEM Center The Florida Aquarium 2022-04-10 | The Florida Aquarium has been partnering with the St. Pete College STEM Center near Maderia Beach, along with Keep Pinellas Beautiful helping to preserve and restore 50 acres of conservation land surrounding the college's STEM Center. This land is currently home to 11 relocated Florida gopher tortoises that rely on Florida Native plants to forage. Recently native plants like Blue-eyed grass; Sisyrichium angustifolium. (That is not actually a grass, however, it is in the Iris family.) and other true native grasses species were planted by The Florida Aquarium and volunteers from Chase Manhattan Bank to provide a long-term sustainable food source for these endangered gopher tortoises. "These tortoises are considered a “keystone species.” This means that they play a crucial role in their ecosystem, and other species depend on them for survival. According to FWC, there are an estimated 350+ species that rely on the tortoise’s burrows." (marinelife.org 2021) This is why The Florida Aquarium has found it important to participate in conservation efforts like these related to gopher tortoise habitat restoration.Another keystone species that The Florida Aquarium has found to be of high value in adding to the perimeter water's edge of this conservation site, is mangrove trees. These trees will provide protection to the gopher tortoise habitat by anchoring the shoreline, and provide shelter and a food source to other Florida Native species that interact and rely on the Florida gopher tortoise.This ongoing project is just one example of how The Florida Aquarium and community partners are helping to preserve, protect, and restore our big blue planet. -Stephen Schwanebeck, Horticulturist for The Florida Aquarium. Community Partners• St. Petersburg College Bay Pines STEM Center https://www.spcollege.edu/friends-partners/about/locations/bay-pines-stem-center• Keep Pinellas Beautiful kpbcares.org
The Florida Aquarium Celebrates International Children’s Book Day The Florida Aquarium 2022-04-02 | Join Alex and friends for the reading of "Do Frogs Have Fur?" as The Florida Aquarium Celebrate International Children’s Book Day.
A Sea Turtles Success Story - Follow the Incredible Journey of Cersci The Florida Aquarium 2022-03-16 | Experience the incredible journey of Cersci, a rescued green sea turtle, who received specialized and compassionate care from The Florida Aquarium after a cold-stunned event in 2021. Animal care professionals implemented progressive treatments in order to save her flippers, restore her health, and reintroduce her back to the ocean!
Penguins Journey to The Florida Aquarium The Florida Aquarium 2022-03-07 | It’s the day we’ve all been waiting for! Thanks to the efforts of so many our outdoor African penguin habitat will officially open to the public on Saturday, March 12; providing our guests with the opportunity to engage with penguins every day. We know that seeing animals up-close creates understanding, inspires compassion and leads to efforts that have a positive benefit to animals in the wild. Preparation for this historic day for The Florida Aquarium was a journey. Enjoy this short video highlighting the meticulous approach taken by our team of experts to acclimate the penguins to their new home.
Diadema Reproduction and Restoration The Florida Aquarium 2021-09-15 | In the 1980s, an unknown disease ravaged the long-spine sea urchin population throughout the Caribbean, Florida and Bermuda. The Florida Aquarium and University of Florida have teamed up to restore this vital herbivore to Florida’s coral reefs. Thanks to our partners: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife, FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, NOAA Fisheries Service, Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science.
