As a former teacher, I love to see my girls having fun and learning at the same time. At the Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium, in Sarasota, Florida, they strive to educate the public about our role in the protection of our sea. They are also a working research laboratory that is devoted to the ocean and its future. Let me introduce you to some of the amazing residents at the Mote Aquarium. I warn you…you may experience cuteness overload!
MANATEES
First up is my favorite pair, Hugh and Buffett. These adorable brothers were born at the Miami Seaquarium and moved to Mote Aquarium in 1996. These adorable guys will melt your heart with their mermaid tails and cute faces. We were lucky to get there when they were having lunch. These big guys eat 72-84 heads of lettuce each day! Besides being adorable, these manatees have a special job. They are the only two manatees in the world trained to participate in special manatee research projects designed to understand how they perceive their natural environment. The researchers are studying their eyesight, hearing, and even the tiny hairs that cover their body (vibrissae). The more we know about them and their environment, the better we can help protect them in the wild.
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- Mote Aquarium, CT
SEA OTTERS
Mote Aquarium has three adorable resident otters named Jane, Pippi, and Hank. Jane and Pippi were found separately as orphaned pups in 2015. They were about 4-6 weeks old and only weighed two pounds each. A wildlife rehabilitator in South Carolina raised them. They learned to swim in a bathtub and then later in a larger pool. Hank was found by a vet in Melborne, Florida when he was five months old. He was people-friendly, so he may have been hand-raised. These three are the watershed ambassadors of the aquarium. Every day Mote caregivers work with them in training sessions.
HANG TOUGH
This big guy won our hearts over! He hatched in the mid-1980’s and in 1992 was brought to Mote Aquarium with severe head injuries. He is blind so he cannot be released back into the wild. Mote is now his home and the staff has worked intensely to help him learn to adapt to his new habitat. Every day he is fed squid, lettuce, and vegetables. He is such a sweet guy and he gracefully glides through the water reminding everyone that we play a role in the protection of sea turtles.
SHARKS
If you love sharks, then you will get your fill at Mote. In the Shark Zone you will learn all about sharks and their habitats. The 135,000-gallon shark habitat is breathtaking and makes you feel like you are in the ocean. They hold training sessions every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 11:00 where you can learn how they care for these graceful predators. Something I found so interesting is they are studying shark species to understand how sharks, skates, and rays rarely get cancer and whether we can use that knowledge to find new treatment for humans.
FLORIDA NATIVES/REEF
The colorful reefs in Florida are home to many interesting fish. Here at Mote you can learn about many Florida natives such as angel fish, toadfish, and spiny lobsters. Jellyfish were a favorite of my youngest daughter. She’s been fascinated by them after ever since being stung by one in Greece. Make sure you see the beautiful seahorses that were born at Mote.
CORAL REEF RESEARCH
Coral reefs support about 40% of all marine life. I was surprised to learn that Florida has the third largest living reef on the planet. Coral reefs are suffering from severe threats from warming ocean waters, ocean acidification, pollution, and disease. Mote is trying to help by restoring the reefs in Florida. They are growing 15,000 coral colonies (some 250,000 fragments) for replanting on coral reefs. What does the future of this reef project look like? The first year is predicting to produce more than 50,000 corals for planting and creating almost 100 acres of restored reefs. In the next 10 years they have a goal of planting 1,000,000 corals and restoring 1,000 acres of coral reefs in the Keys.
My family had a wonderful time exploring this amazing aquarium. We all came away with lots of new facts as well as a better understanding of our role in the protection of sea animals. The staff if very kind and eager to share their knowledge of the different exhibits. It is a must-see place when visiting Sarasota because it is fun for the entire family.
Tips:
ADDRESS: 1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota, Florida 34236
(Located one mile from St. Armand’s Circle.)
HOURS: Open daily from 10:00- 5:00
ADMISSION: Adults (13 & older) $19.75, Youths (4-12) $14.75,
Seniors (65 & older) $14.75
TOURS: There is even more to do at Mote such as eco-boat tours, kayaking trips, research charters, and shark encounters. See their website for details.
WEBSITE: https://mote.org/
A warm thank you to the Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium for having my family as guests. As always, all experiences and opinions are 100% my own.