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

Tarantula Fish Tacos Recipe

Here's a fun sustainable seafood recipe for the Halloween season. Enjoy!

"Tarantula" Fish Tacos
Makes about 6 spooky tacos.

“Tarantula” fish balls:
• 1 pound boneless catfish, halibut, whitefish, tilapia
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons favorite Cajun or blackened spice mix

1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2) In food processor, puree fish and sea salt until just smooth.
3) Using hands, (if kids are involved in this step, they should wear plastic gloves for safety!) roll fish paste into balls about 1-inch thick.
4) Dredge fish balls lightly in spice mix and place on baking pan. Bake 20 to 30 minutes, until fish are cooked through. While fish are baking, prepare the guacamole and sour cream sauce.

Meet Shedd sea otter Mari

Mari and Kiana, Shedd’s youngest otters, came to us as 2- to 3-month-old pups, courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Kiana was a real rescue – either abandoned or orphaned – but Mari was most likely doing just fine when a well-meaning kayaker intervened.

Sea otters make the Right Bite

Shedd’s hungry sea otters chomp down 7,000 pounds of shrimp a year. The problem is, serious environmental issues such as habitat destruction and bycatch are associated with shrimp trawling and aquaculture. Bycatch, or unintentional catch, occurs when animals such as sea turtles, large fishes and seabirds become entangled in fishing gear. For every pound of shrimp netted in the wild, up to 10 pounds of unwanted marine life is also caught – and usually drowned or fatally injured.

Now serving up sustainable seafood programs

As Shedd's new sustainable seafood facilitator, I will be coordinating 
awareness and outreach for our Right Bite seafood program, including
 partner training, culinary school guest lectures and public programs
 such as cooking demos. I'll also develop culinary how-to's for every in-home chef. You may even see me in my Shedd chef's jacket doing TV and
website appearances!
 I am thrilled to join Shedd's team of dedicated and passionate
conservation professionals. Watch this page for Right Bite program
updates and seafood inspirations! Meanwhile, please enter any questions or thoughts in the comment section
 of this blog post, and I'll be sure to respond. 



Posted by Kim Stakal, conservation

Last Day of Young Naturalists

Reflections from the Young Nats on their last day:

I came into this program shy and scared to talk to anyone, much less guests. After six amazing weeks, I am a completely different person. Now I’m not afraid to be different, or to be goofy, silly, loud and confident. Young Naturalists truly taught me to be myself. Over these weeks, I have met many different, amazing people who have made an impact on the way I see myself and on the way I want to be. I now know I can accomplish more than I ever thought possible. – Emilse A.

Coral reproduction

As a steward of the natural world, Shedd takes our responsibilities very seriously. We are determined and passionate about conservation and research, which is why we participate in SECORE (SExual COral REproduction), an initiative that supports coral research, husbandry,and conservation.

Shedd's Steve Irwin fellow

The Steve Irwin Fellowship complements Shedd Aquarium’s mentor programs for Chicago high school students interested marine science careers. The three-week program includes a week at Shedd shadowing animal care staff members and two weeks in Australia gaining hands-on experience at partner zoological institutions. Katie Dziedzic, the third recipient of this prestigious fellowship, filed this report of her amazing experience:

Visiting a shark lab

The second group of High School Marine Biology students have landed in the Bahamas. Here is a blog by two of the participants:

Today we visited a shark research lab on Bimini. We met a researcher named Kat who worked on not only protecting lemon sharks, which is the main species that they study, but also identify a number of other shark species that live in Bimini. She took us out to a pen and showed us some of the baby lemon sharks that they were studying. Some other shark species that live on Bimini are the tiger, bull and the occasional hammer head.

Last day in the Bahamas

The High School Marine Biology program participants share their discoveries from their last day in the Bahamas, and reflect on their entire experience. Here’s a blog post from two of the participants:

We can’t believe that today is our last day in the Bahamas! It has been an amazing trip that none of us will forget. Today we went to Cat Cay to do a beach seine, and had the opportunity to look at the homes being built on the island. Each of us wondered how the building development will affect Cat Cay’s surrounding environment.