Earlier this month, we announced a new addition to our Aquarium family – a baby Linne’s two-toed sloth! Our team has been closely monitoring Ivy and her new baby and we can report that both are very healthy! Taking a cue from Ivy, the baby is even starting to eat solid foods including fruit and vegetables.
Our staff continues to monitor from a distance, allowing for the natural relationship between mother and child. As the baby grows and begins to feel more comfortable exploring, we look forward to determining the baby’s gender.
Watch this video to find out more about our new baby sloth!
Stay tuned for more updates right here on our WATERblog!
The National Aquarium’s Fresh Thoughts sustainable seafood dining series is back this fall, with events at both our Baltimore and Washington, DC, venues. We hope you will join us for one or both of these exceptional four-course prix fixe menus with wine pairings, all in the unique setting of the Aquarium at night!
Join us in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, September 19, when Chef Xavier Deshayes will serve up a four-course meal featuring sea bream, a delicious white fish. Hear from experts about this fish and learn about the completely sustainable system at the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET), which is providing the sea bream for this dinner.
About Guest Chef Xavier Deshayes A native of Beziers, France, Xavier Deshayes is the executive chef at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, which hosts some of the city’s most notable meetings and special events and is often recognized for its distinguished catering services. Chef Deshayes is on the forefront of developing sustainable and environmentally conscious menus by thoroughly researching his product sources.
Fresh Thoughts at the National Aquarium, Washington, DC, is sponsored by the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.
You’ve asked for it, and it’s finally coming to Fresh Thoughts—lobster! Join us in Baltimore on Tuesday, September 25, when guest chefs Chris Becker and Omar Semidey of Fleet Street Kitchen present their menu featuring the succulent shellfish, along with fluke and rainbow snapper.
About the Guest Chefs From Fleet Street Kitchen A Baltimore native, graduate of the Baltimore Culinary Institute, and veteran of several of the city’s most highly regarded restaurants, Chef Chris Becker maintains deep relationships with local farmers, foragers, and fishermen. He was named one of the top “Chefs to Watch” by Baltimore Magazine.
Born and raised in New York City, Chef Omar Semidey developed a passion for food and cooking that led him to pursue a career in the culinary arts. Omar attended the French Culinary Institute in New York City. After working with Chef Becker at The Wine Market, he rejoins him at Fleet Street Kitchen, with the goal of developing and executing an exciting, high-quality, and seasonally inspired menu.
The concept of our Fresh Thoughts sustainable seafood dining series is to offer unique dining experiences themed around a sustainable seafood choice. Guests will enjoy a cocktail reception and educational demonstrations and/or discussions followed by a three-course seated dinner paired with perfectly matched wine in the tranquil atmosphere of the Aquarium after-hours.
Between our Baltimore and Washington, DC, venues, more than 17,500 animals representing 900 species call the National Aquarium home. There are constant changes, additions, and more going on behind the scenes that our guests may not notice during their visit. We want to share these fun updates with our community so we’re bringing them to you in our weekly Animal Update posts!
Check our blog every Friday to find out what’s going on… here’s what’s new this week!
We’re experiencing quite the baby boom!
As we first announced earlier this week, a new spiny-tailed monitor was born in the backup area of our Animal Plant Australia: Wild Extremes exhibit. But this is just one of many new family additions…
Spiny-tailed monitor hatchling
We also have turquoise tanager chicks flying around our Upland Tropical Rain Forest exhibit. Our tanager flock continues to grow! We first announced the arrival of two chicks last month and we are so excited to have more of these adorable babies. You can see the majority of our family of tanagers flying around our Rain Forest now!
Turquoise tanager chick
And don’t forget our new baby screaming piha chick! Also born in our Upland Tropical Rain Forest, this baby is the first to be born in captivity in North America.
Blacktip Reef animals are on the move!
Blacktip Reef renovations are coming soon and we’ve already started preparations with animal moves. Some of the animals you’re used to seeing in our Wings in the Water exhibit have been moved to their new homes within the Aquarium: Two large roughtail rays are now in Open Oceanexhibit and a cownose ray, two southern rays and a hogfish have all been moved to our Atlantic Coral Reef exhibit. Additionally, over the last two weeks, our staff has worked closely with Georgia Aquarium staff to transport roughtail rays, cownose rays and barracudas to their new home at the Georgia Aquarium.
National Aquarium divers helps to collect animals from Wings in the Water Photo courtesy of John Soule
Staff and volunteers safely moving a cownose ray from the Wings in the Water exhibit Photo courtesy of John Soule
We still have a few more animals to move. Next Monday, we’ll be moving our zebra sharks Zeke and Zoe as well as our green sea turtle Calypso to our off-site Animal Care Center, where they will stay until they join their new friends in Blacktip Reef next summer!
Watch this video to learn more about the new animals that will be coming to Blacktip Reef!
Be sure to check back every Friday to find out what’s happening!
The National Aquarium Marine Animal Rescue Program (MARP) team was joined by volunteers on Friday, July 20, for the 15th Annual Maryland Dolphin Count. This year, 31 dolphins were sighted.
Three dolphins swimming near Ocean City, MD Credit: John Soule
More than 100 volunteers of all ages came out between 9–11 a.m. to help record dolphin sightings at two locations in Ocean City, MD — beaches on 40th Street and 130th Street. Annual dolphin counts help marine mammal specialists capture a snapshot look at dolphin populations, reproduction rates and ocean health. Looking at the population numbers over the years can help to determine the health of the coastal ecosystem as well as the abundance of prey.
Volunteers helping to count dolphins on 40th Street in Ocean City, MD
During the 2011 dolphin count, 107 dolphins were recorded, which is relatively normal. This year’s count is lower and is likely a result of several factors, including the weather, bigger swells and food availability.
“The National Aquarium team is incredibly thankful to all the volunteers who joined us for this year’s Dolphin Count,” said Jennifer Dittmar, Marine Animal Rescue Program Stranding Coordinator.
The evening before the annual count, a fundraiser was held at Seacrets: Jamaica USA, which raised $2,000 for MARP.
For more information on MARP and how the general public can assist with rescue efforts, visit aqua.org/care.
The Aquarium Conservation Team spent most of June at Naval Support Facility Indian Head and Stump Neck Annex (Indian Head, MD). Over a period of 11 days, volunteers planted 45,897 native wetland grasses along the Potomac River, restoring more than 4,000 feet of shoreline!
Spring and early summer are ideal times for planting wetland grasses in the mid-Atlantic region, so Aquarium staff and partners worked through record-high temperatures to complete the job! Volunteers from the Maryland Conservation Corps, Mattawoman Watershed Society, Appalachian Mountain Club, Naval Support Activity South Potomac, and the community hand-planted nine different species of grass.
Our volunteers aren’t afraid to get dirty
The National Aquarium has partnered with NSF Indian Head since 2008, restoring sections of shoreline each year. During this spring’s event, Aquarium staff monitored older wetland areas, and found them in full bloom and thriving.
After the planting is complete; look at all those grasses!
Want to join us? The Aquarium Conservation Team will return in the fall of 2012 to complete Phase Two of the shoreline restoration by planting the upland portion with trees and shrubs. We need your help! Dates for the fall planting will be announced in August. Be sure to check here for registration details.
