Jazzin’ Plus: Cave fish

While we’re pointing out animals and activities that you’ll only see after dark during Jazzin’ at the Shedd, we’d like to direct you to the Islands and Lakes gallery and the Mexican blind cave tetras. On the brightest day, only enough natural illumination from the skylights slips into their mostly covered habitat for guests to see them. "But they could be in total darkness," says senior aquarist Stacy Wozniak. That’s because, for these eyeless fish, day and night are the same.

The oil spill in Michigan

As cleanup and wildlife rescue efforts continue for what is being called the worst oil spill in the Midwest’s history, many of you have asked us for advice on how to get involved. Our great partners in Michigan are already working hard to mitigate damage to the surrounding ecosystem before oil spreads to Lake Michigan. While Shedd Aquarium is assessing how to best support our partners with our resources and animal-handling expertise, we encourage anyone in the Kalamazoo area to follow the recommendations of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources at this time.

Fish of the Month - Wild salmon from Alaska

June’s Fish of the Month is wild salmon from Alaska.

The pristine Pacific waters off the coast of Alaska are home to five types of wild salmon: pink, chum, sockeye, coho and Chinook -- the last one being Alaska’s official "state fish" and a dinnertime favorite of Right Bite staff! It’s no surprise why Alaska would choose salmon for this honor, as they are truly special creatures.

For starters, wild salmon are anadromous, meaning they’re born in freshwater rivers and lakes but quickly swim downstream to spend their adult lives in the salty Pacific Ocean. Once at sea, salmon can travel widely, feasting on crustaceans, squid, zooplankton and other organisms responsible for the beautiful pink-orange flesh that they develop.

Moms in the aquatic world

We’re thinking about moms in the aquatic world as we approach Mother’s Day on Sunday, but parenting is teamwork among some fishes, including two species of cichlids that live in rivers: quetzal cichlids of southern Mexico and Guatemala, and twinspot jewel cichlids, from West Africa. Each has fry that you can see right now in the Rivers gallery. The colorful quetzals have a swarm of tiny fry that the mom and larger dad round up on the back wall of the South America habitat. These doting cichlids give their offspring the scales off their backs, or at least skin secretions that the little ones feed on. They also herd the fry across the bottom in search of microinvertebrates. The parents crunch up larger food and regurgitate it to the babies. If any of the little ones stray on one of these outings, mom or dad will collect it in her or his mouth and spit it back into the group. You’ll also see another pair’s older offspring—several dozen inch-long fish—feeding on the bottom.

Fish of the Month - Lake whitefish

Recently some friends and I gathered together to enjoy a dinner prepared potluck style. The theme of the evening was local cuisine: everyone brought their own dish prepared with the most locally sourced ingredients they could find. Spring vegetables like scallions, Asian greens, and radish were present, as were pasture-raised proteins like eggs and beef. As delicious as the spread looked on the table, I couldn’t help but notice – there was no local seafood!

Overfishing and the need for sustainable seafood

As part of Shedd’s sustainable seafood program, Right Bite, local culinary students often take field trips to Shedd to discover the relationship between the fish in the ocean and the fish in their kitchens. The students learn about Shedd’s five primary concerns with commercial fishing, connect firsthand with animals impacted by these concerns, and leave the aquarium with the tools and knowledge necessary to make seafood choices that will help protect our oceans.

Marine Protected Areas

A visit with Project Seahorse was next on the Philippines trip itinerary for Shedd’s conservation and research team. Project Seahorse comprises two groups that work in concert to conserve marine environments in the Philippines and elsewhere.

Visit to Apo Island

Since 1998, Shedd Aquarium has been a key partner with Project Seahorse, a marine conservation organization dedicated to studying and protecting seahorses while helping people who depend upon them for their livelihoods. While Project Seahorse has programs all over the world, it has maintained an active presence in the Philippines since its inception. Recently Shedd’s conservation and research leadership team visited the Philippines to meet with our conservation partner to see how the program has grown since our last visit many years ago. In the next few weeks we’ll share some of the trip highlights, with the first stop being an Apo Island visit.

Creating Polar Play Zone at Shedd

For the top-to-bottom Oceanarium renovation, Kris Nesbitt, senior exhibit designer, and Kara Kotwas, senior graphic designer, saw the underwater viewing gallery as a blank canvas on which to create a universally accessible permanent exhibit where “all children can find something to do.”

Oceanarium Reimagined: A Look Back

 
Here's a look back at the renovation of the reimagined Oceanarium. Thanks for supporting Shedd and visit us soon!



Posted by Jay Geneske, web editor