AQUARIUM NEWS
FALL 2015
FALL 2016
LETTER FROM OUR CEO
Dear Members and Friends, Greetings from the Texas State Aquarium, I hope you had a chance to visit the Aquarium this summer; by the looks of our admission data, over 12,000 of you did visit during the month of July alone. Wow! It’s great to see so many of you using your Aquarium membership. We had a terrific summer; the opening of the new Tentacles exhibition generated a lot of excitement, and Liko and Schooner, the newest members of our Dolphin Bay family, began participating in our daily presentations. While much of our focus is currently on our Caribbean Journey Wing expansion program, we have continued to invest in our existing facilities and bring you new exhibitions and guest service amenities, such as our completely renovated Pepsi Shoreline Grill restaurant, which opened last spring. In fact, over the last two years, we have invested over $2.2 million in new exhibits and programming here in our main Gulf of Mexico building. We know how important it is to continually improve our existing programming while we build for the future. And speaking of building, the Caribbean Journey building is now at 70% completion. I’m sure you’ve noticed the hexagonal roof frame was installed on top of the building in July. As I pen this column, over 400 of the triple pane glass panels have been installed. Waterproofing is complete on the Blue Hole and Caribbean Coral Reef habitats, and animal acquisition is well underway. Our Campaign Caribbean capital campaign continues, as well. We have received gifts and commitments totaling over $45 million. To put this in perspective; our two largest campaigns to date were to fund the original Aquarium back in 1990, and then to fund the construction of Dolphin Bay in 2003. The contributions of these combined campaigns totaled about $30 million. When we launched this program, we knew that we had set an incredibly ambitious goal – to raise over $50 million. However, we also realized the importance of this program – to finish what was started over 40 years ago, as our founders so eloquently stated, to build “…an Aquarium for Texas.” This simple phrase turned into what we have accomplished today and what we are focused on for the future. An Aquarium for all of Texas, focused on environmental education and wildlife conservation, supporting research by bringing the flora and fauna of the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea into focus for the millions who visit this campus. We still have much work to do, including raising the additional funds needed to complete this ambitious project. And we need your help. Your membership contributions help pay for our operating costs. In the coming months, we will be reaching out to each of you to ask if you can help us complete this campaign with a donation to Campaign Caribbean. I hope you can join us as we complete our master plan and, in the spring of 2017, I hope to see all of you at our special members’ only sneak preview of the new Caribbean Journey experience right here at the Texas State Aquarium.
Tom Schmid President and CEO
70% completioN TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM • FALL 2016
The Texas State Aquarium is
Proud Partners with:
AQUARIUM NEWS
WINTER 2014 • TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM
AQUARIUM NEWS
CARIBBEAN
CONSTRUCTION
MOVING
FAST
S
leep or snack? These are some important questions for Xena, the Aquarium’s Linnaeus’s two-toed sloth. Wild Flight Bird and Mammal Trainer Sean McLaughlin laughs as he tries to feed Xena after a recent newscast that featured the sloth. Her wide brown eyes keep closing even though he offers her romaine lettuce, seemingly her favorite food. The Aquarium’s newest addition came via a facility in Florida and will be prominently featured in the upcoming Caribbean Journey building tropical lowland forest area. Linnaeus’s sloths are mostly arboreal creatures that live their lives amid dense vine growth in the high treetops of northern South America. True to their names, they’re known as the world’s slowest mammals. The two-toed sloth is covered with a bristly coat of hair that covers an undercoat of shorter, finer hair. They can be gray-brown to beige in coloration, and those in their natural environment often sport a greenish cast due to algae growth in the fur. Along with tanagers (a tropical bird species), iguanas, and tropical fish, Xena is a sign of progress in our goal toward completion of the Caribbean Journey building that is scheduled to open next spring. In July, construction crews “topped out” the new Caribbean wing with the installation of the glass roof frame. The aluminum structure, which was assembled on-site, weighs approximately 145,000 pounds TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM • FALL 2016
(without glass). Nearly 500 hurricane-proof glass panels are being installed into the structure and will beam beautiful, natural sunlight into the forest area. Additionally, workers are epoxying and water testing exhibits to ensure their safety for the animals going inside. Concrete artisans are almost finished painting and customizing the incredibly intricate rock work that makes up many of the exhibits in the forest, including the Mayan ruins. Aquarium President and CEO Tom Schmid said it is a very exciting time to see the space and so many areas coming to fruition. “The finish line is in sight,” he commented. While construction crews and Aquarium staff are in an excited hurry to see the project completed, Xena seems content to move at her own pace. McLaughlin waves the fresh lettuce directly under her nose, which prompts her to open her mouth – eyes still shut – and happily accept the treat.
WHILE XENA
MOVES SLOW...
“Everyone is going to love you,” McLaughlin tells Xena. We know you will love the Caribbean Journey building’s new exhibits, 4D theater, event rental space with expansive views of the downtown and the bay, and especially the animals, just as much as we already do.
Along with tanagers, iguanas, and tropical fish, Xena is a sign of progress in our goal toward completion of the Caribbean Journey building that is scheduled to open next spring. FALL 2016 • TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM
YOUR AQUARIUM
OUR HOURS ARE CHANGING With the fall comes some changes, including our daily operating hours and the schedule for our H-E-B Splash Park. Below are the changes you need to know about for this fall:
Operating Hours Through Friday, September 2: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Saturday, September 3 & Sunday, September 4: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Beginning Monday, September 5: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Also note that the Aquarium will be closed Monday, November 28 through Friday, December 2 to make some improvements.
H-E-B Splash Park Schedule Through Friday, September 2: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Saturday, September 3 & Sunday, September 4: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Monday, September 5 & Saturdays and Sundays only through Sunday, October 2 (closed Mondays through Fridays): 11:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Adopt One of Our Moon Jellies Today! When you symbolically adopt one of our jellyfish, you support the Aquarium’s mission to engage people with animals, inspire appreciation for our seas, and support wildlife conservation. Plus, you will receive special benefits, such as: • Personalized adoption certificate • Glossy photo • Fun Facts sheet about your adopted animal • The satisfaction of knowing you are helping to support the care of animals at the Texas State Aquarium
TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM • FALL 2016
CURRENT EVENTS Texas State Aquarium Again Earns CILC Pinnacle Education Award The Aquarium’s Flint Hills Resources Aquavision Distance Learning program has earned a Pinnacle Award for the second year in a row from the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC). CILC is a national and international leader in content aggregation, consulting, and support services that assist organizations with the utilization of videoconferencing and other collaborative technologies. CILC has bestowed the Pinnacle Award annually since 2008 on organizations that receive outstanding scores on program evaluations submitted by educators and end users. According to CILC, receiving the award “indicates remarkable quality of educational content and exceptional skill at program delivery.” “Aquavision has represented the very best in distance learning since 2003, “said Aquarium Vice President of Education and Conservation Leslie Peart. “Receiving the Pinnacle Award again is a testament to the strength of our team and their ability to link students with animals through creative interactions. Through the support of Flint Hills Resources, Aquavision continues to develop cutting edge techniques in virtual, live-from-Texas State Aquarium programming.” Aquavision is a part of the Aquarium’s Flint Hills Resources Center for Excellence in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Education. Flint Hills Resources has supported the Aquarium’s Aquavision program since 2007. Only three organizations in Texas were honored with this award, and TSA is proud to be among them.
Aquarium Hosts OCEARCH Live Connection from New York
Aquarium Again Earns Prestigious 4-Star Rating from Charity Navigator
On Wednesday, August 17, the Aquarium hosted a live connection with the research vessel R/V OCEARCH, which was on a shark tagging and tracking expedition in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean near New York. Aquarium guests had the opportunity to hear about the expedition and ask questions of the researchers on board the R/V OCEARCH live in real time.
Charity Navigator, America’s largest and most-utilized independent evaluator of charities, has again awarded the Texas State Aquarium its prestigious 4-star rating for good governance, sound fiscal management and commitment to accountability and transparency. The Texas State Aquarium, which first earned the 4-star rating in 2014 and continues to retain that status, is one of only nine aquariums in the nation that have earned the 4-star rating.
Joining the event live from R/V OCEARCH were OCEARCH Founding Chairman and Expedition Leader CEO Chris Fisher and Dr. Matt Ajemian, Assistant Research Professor at Florida Atlantic University Harbor Branch and former Research Scientist for the Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi (TAMUCC).
The R/V OCEARCH and a team of collaborating scientists have joined forces in the waters off Long Island, New York for a wide-ranging study to gather data on the ecology, physiology, and behavior of sharks in the Atlantic Ocean, with a special focus on blue, mako, and great white sharks. One focus of the expedition is to determine what role the New York Bight region plays in the life history of sharks. Scientists suspect that the nearby south shore of Long Island may serve as a nursery area for the great white shark, a theory stemming from the migratory patterns of five great whites previously tagged by OCEARCH collaborating scientists. The connection was done as part of the Aquarium’s Aquavision Distance Learning program, which is part of the Aquarium’s Flint Hills Resources Center for Excellence in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Education.
“Donors are increasingly becoming savvier about their giving. Charity Navigator is a great tool for would-be funders to evaluate not-for-profit organizations that they care about,” said Texas State Aquarium President and CEO Tom Schmid. “I’m pleased with our 4-star rating; it’s a critical component of our ‘Good Governance’ program. Accountability and transparency are vital to organizations such as the Texas State Aquarium.” Charity Navigator works to help charitable givers make intelligent giving decisions by providing information on more than 8,000 charities nationwide and by evaluating their financial health. It calculates each charity’s score based upon several broad criteria, including how much is spent per dollar raised, what percentage of funds goes to programs versus administrative and fund-raising expenses, and the organization’s long-term financial health. It then assigns a rating from one to four, with four being the best rating. FALL 2016 • TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM
WCCR UPDATE
It was back in January that Aquarium President & CEO Tom Schmid met with fellow Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) officials to discuss the AZA Conservation Action Plan (CAP) for vaquitas. It turned out that there was a major funding issue that needed to be addressed before the plan could move forward into implementation, and Schmid took action and pledged $25,000 from the Texas State Aquarium on the spot. “It affected me because the species is so endangered,” Schmid explained. “I said, ‘The Texas State Aquarium will pledge $25,000 if we make this a priority,’ and then we raised $100,000 in 20 minutes. It was incredible.” Fast forward to International Save the Vaquita Day on July 9: aquariums and conservation organizations around the country presented facts and helped raise awareness for the world’s most endangered marine mammal. They appealed to guests with facts, images, and pleas for support of efforts to save the marine mammal. At our Aquarium, Vice President for Education and Conservation Leslie Peart encouraged visitors to lie down behind a life-sized image of a vaquita to gauge just how small the five foot-long porpoise really is. Many had
TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM • FALL 2016
never even heard of it, which is one of the major issues facing the world’s 60 remaining vaquitas. The species is known to be very shy and lives in a small part of the northern Gulf of California, bordering Baja California and the Mexican mainland. Peart explained to visitors that the greatest threat to vaquitas is the use of drift gillnets. Gillnets are used in the upper Gulf of California to fish for shrimp, as well as an endangered fish called totoaba, that’s livers are highly prized for medicinal purposes in China. These gillnets can accidentally catch vaquitas, killing them. Peart told guests that making sure the shrimp you purchase and eat is sourced from a local or sustainable source is a great way to help the vaquita. She also showed guests an online petition to the Mexican government, asking them to sign their support to ban gillnet usage in the vaquita’s range. Just a few weeks after this event, news broke the petition had worked – Mexico announced that a permanent ban on fishing gillnets would be implemented starting in September. There is still much work to be done, but the Aquarium is proud that through its initial donation from its Wildlife Care, Conservation and Research Fund (WCCR), so much good has already been done to help save the vaquita. Known also as the “little cow”, the vaquita still is critically endangered. However, for conservationists, marine biologists, animal lovers, and Aquarium staff, hope swims eternal.
Photo: Tom Jefferson
SECOND CHANCES
Putting the ‘Wild’ in Wild Flight
“It had been three weeks, and the owl was still not eating on its own, which is not a good sign,” Martinelli explained, “But one day I placed a piece of rat in its enclosure, and its eyes followed the movement. That was when things started to turn around.” Martinelli and staff watched the bird become progressively more active and interested in offered food, but its injuries resulted in partial blindness and a permanent decreased lack of awareness. As a result, the barred owl would not be a candidate for release. The raptor’s docile disposition and flying capability led her to inquire if the Aquarium’s Wild Flight team would be interested in providing the raptor a forever home. Aquarium Curator of Bird and Mammals Lauren Wilson seized the opportunity to place the owl with her Wild Flight family.
Rehabbed Owl to be New Aquarium Addition Laura Martinelli, manager of wildlife rehabilitation at the Aquarium’s Second Chances Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital, did not want to get her hopes too high regarding a barred owl patient that came into the hospital in early April. The adult raptor was covered in lice and ants and was likely the victim of collision with a vehicle. Its condition was described as “obtunded,” mean-
ing it had a much diminished sense of awareness and responsiveness. This behavior is often seen in animals – and even people – who have experienced severe head trauma. Thus, Martinelli was not expecting the best, but like many resilient Second Chances patients do; the owl slowly started showing signs of recovery.
Wilson said she was looking to further diversify the Aquarium’s birds of prey and that the addition of the barred owl would be a great way to do so. According to Wilson, “I was really wanting more flighted birds because we like to show their amazing capabilities. Owls have ‘silent flight’, and we also don’t have any flighted owls at the moment, so this was a good opportunity for us.” Martinelli said the new Aquarium resident is an amazing member of the local community and provides a great opportunity for visitors to see this species represented, as it is rather rare. “We’re extremely happy to have Wild Flight take it,” Martinelli asserted. “This is a very happy ending to the owl’s story.”
FALL 2016 • TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM
CALENDAR
SEPTEMBER 5
NOVEMBER 15
texasstateaquarium.org Hours of Operation
Operating and H-E-B Splash Park Hours Change
Operating hours become 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily, while the H-E-B Splash Park will be open from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Subsequent to this date, the H-E-B Splash Park will be open weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) only through October 2 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. before closing for the fall and winter.
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Champion’s Challenge
Don’t miss the year-end clash of the champions as all three of this year’s previous Seafood Wars-winning chefs will square off to decide who is the 2016 Seafood Wars Champion! This year’s championship event will include a presentation about choosing the right wine to pair with your meals, along with samples of wine chosen as good pairings with the chef’s creations for the night.
11/28 - 12/2 Adopt-A-Beach
Come be part of our effort to keep our local beaches clean and ocean healthy! Again this year, the Aquarium will serve as the North Beach host for the Texas General Land Office’s fall Adopt-A-Beach event from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. We will supply trash bags and gloves. For more information or to register, click here!
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Summer Hours:
Winter Hours:
9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Monday – Sunday
Monday – Sunday
(begins March 1)
(begins Labor Day)
How To Contact Us: Accounting (361) 881-1286 Admissions (361) 881-1230 Donations & Development (361) 881-1324 Education & SeaCamp (361) 881-1204 Executive Offices (361) 881-1200 Event Rentals (361) 881-1244 General Information (361) 881-1200 Gift Shop (361) 881-1232 Group Reservations (361) 881-1307 Guide Office (361) 881-1250 Injured Animal (361) 881-1210
Aquarium Closed
The Aquarium will be closed from Monday, November 28 through December 2 as we make some improvements.
Membership (361) 881-1340 Shoreline Grill (361) 881-1239 Volunteers (361) 881-1381
DECEMBER
Rising Tide Society’s 2nd Annual Mini Gulf Classic Putt Putt Tournament
Get your team together and come join us for a fun and unique evening of putt putt golf played through the Aquarium’s Gulf of Mexico exhibit area while also enjoying prizes, a silent auction, and great food and drinks. All proceeds from will benefit the Aquarium’s Second Chances Wildlife Rehabilitation Program. This event is for 21 and up only. For more information, click here!
OCTOBER
12/10 - 12/17 Scuba Santa
This year’s annual arrival of Scuba Santa to the Texas State Aquarium will bring smiles and wonder! On Saturday, December 10, the Texas State Aquarium will introduce Scuba Santa to guests who visit the Aquarium’s “Diver in the Water” presentation at our Flower Gardens exhibit. Scuba Santa will make daily appearances through December 17th.
29 Our Mission
Green Halloween
Bring your family to our spectacularly spooky Green Halloween celebration! Halloween in Corpus Christi gets an, earth-friendly twist as we host our annual Green Halloween party. Bring your family to enjoy a safe, fun, and educational afternoon of Halloween activities. The day’s activities will include Halloween-themed animal enrichment sessions, a spooky dive show, a costume contest with prizes, arts and crafts, trick-or-treating, and more activities throughout the Aquarium. TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM • FALL 2016
To engage people with animals, inspire appreciation for our seas, and support wildlife conservation.
Our Vision
To be a global leader in fostering support for the conservation of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.
The Texas State Aquarium is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). AZA is America’s leading accrediting organization for zoos and aquariums, and accredits only those institutions that have achieved rigorous, professional standards for animal care and management, veterinary care, wildlife conservation and research, education, safety, staffing, and more. Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. With its more than 200 accredited members, AZA is building North America’s largest wildlife conservation movement and is your link to helping animals in their native habitats. For more information, visit www.aza.org. The Texas State Aquarium was designated as a Coastal America Coastal Ecosystem Learning Center in 1998. Coastal America combines the resources of federal agencies with marine educational centers. The mutual partnership extends to involving communities in protection, preservation, and restoration projects throughout the Nation.