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October 31, 2008
Keep up to date with Shedd's Oceanarium animals and trainers with this Web diary series about all their doings off site during the renovation. In this entry, marine mammal trainer Madelynn Hettiger talks about how the beluga whales, dolphins and staff are adjusting in their temporary home at Mystic Aquarium.
Posted by Jay Geneske, web editor
October 28, 2008
Are dogs as smart as dolphins? Decide for yourself at Shedd Aquarium's new show, Pet Training the Shedd Way.
Posted by Jay Geneske, web editor
October 23, 2008
Thanks to those of you who have visited our show, Pet Training the Shedd Way! Below is information about positive-reinforcement training and additional resources. And don’t forget to check back here for regular pet-training tips.
KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER WHEN TRAINING
1. Positive – Use positive reinforcement. It is the most humane way to train, and it helps develop an even stronger relationship with your pet.
2. Consistent – Whatever rules you choose to use, make sure everyone in the house that interacts with your pet follows the same rules. Consistency will keep your pet from getting confused and will set him or her up for success.
3. Fun – Make every interaction with your pet fun! Training should be a game that you and your pet look forward to.
October 17, 2008
Shedd’s conservation programs are constantly striving to grow and adapt to a changing environment. Listen to Your Lakes, our Great Lakes awareness campaign, delivers educational messages to the millions of people who live in the Great Lakes region about the importance of a healthy Great Lakes ecosystem. Coastal America recognized that the Listen to Your Lakes campaign has reached over 65 million people to date and continues to seek new ways to raise awareness, increase urgency, and connect citizens to this amazing ecosystem so we can all make a difference in protecting them. The picture is of Benjamin Grumbles of the US EPA and Debra Fassnacht from Shedd Aquarium with our special recognition award from Coastal America.
-Posted by Melanie Napoleon, Great Lakes conservation
October 13, 2008
If you’re a gardener, you may see large milkweed bugs (Oncopeltus fasciatus) feeding on the elongated seed pods of milkweed plants this fall. Their presence in large numbers on milkweed plants is thought to be more of a nuisance than detrimental as they do not cause much damage to the plants. The large milkweed bugs acquire the foul taste and toxicity of the host plant as it feeds on its seeds. An unknowing predator who does not heed the warning of the bug’s bright colors and bold striping will be unpleasantly surprised and sickened by their bad taste!
-Posted by Erin Ramsden, horticulture
October 08, 2008
Construction is underway! Behind the scenes at Shedd, work has begun on reimagining the Oceanarium. Take a look at these construction photos of the Oceanarium as you’ve never seen it before.
And keep up to date with the marine mammals and trainers during the renovation with our Web diary series about all their doings off site.
Posted by Jay Geneske, web editor
As the days get shorter, we are turning on more lights earlier in the day. As part of our conservation effort at Shedd, we have installed energy efficient lighting everywhere we can. Our compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and LED fixtures help us save energy and money because they use much less electricity than incandescent bulbs. We upgraded an area with energy efficient bulbs and fixtures in a recent lighting project in our sub-basement. This project will save 61,816 kWh every year; the equivalent of planting 11 acres of trees, removing 1,077 tons of airborne pollutants and saving 102,059 gallons of gasoline! You can save energy and resources at home by replacing your incandescent bulbs with energy efficient ones. Many styles and sizes of CFL bulbs are available for your lighting needs in most hardware stores.
Posted by Dale Drozda, facilities
