A VISIT TO THE AQUARIUM CATCHES MORE THAN FISH
consequent implications of the changes in ocean temperature and acidity on the animals that live there. One game involves visitors by letting them examine their carbon footprint: from what they eat, to how they travel, to where they live. Another game explores sources of CO2, or processes that produce CO2, and compares them to CO2 sinks, or places where CO2 is absorbed. Since the ocean is the largest carbon sink on the planet,2 it is particularly relevant to the visitors at an aquarium. Still another game deals with how the warming temperature affects the sex of sea turtles; the sex of the hatchlings varies on how warm or cool the buried eggs are3. These and other games that focus on ocean related issues provide information about particular activities, but also circle back to the role of the individual and society. The aim is to help visitors identify paths to reduction of CO2 production. The ocean and the animals who live there are generally very important to the visitors at an aquarium and it is in assuming their roles as “stewards of the ocean” where visitors can quickly connect with the need for change. Understanding the importance of leadership is sometimes a bigger step, but fortunately children are often ready and excited to know that something can be done. For instance, while talking with a group of young girls about the moon jellies displayed in an acrylic tube, I commented that sea turtles enjoy eating them. I also explained that, unfortunately, sea turtles often swallow plastic bags floating as waste in the ocean by mistake because they look like jellies4. The girls understood that beyond just recycling and reusing, the actual amount of plastic used needs to be reduced, to help our ocean and spare sea life. They saw it was important and would be important for the future of their world. As they moved on to another part of the aquarium, they marched off declaring in a firm voice, “To the Future!”
“Roll on, deep and dark blue ocean, roll. Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain. Man marks the earth with ruin, but his control stops with the shore”.1
L
ord Byron appreciated the power and majesty of the ocean, knew of man’s ability to destroy the land, but was confident that the ocean was more than man. As time has passed, we have grown to learn that what we do on the land has serious implications for the sea as well. This can be due to overuse of fossil fuels and the resultant increase of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the ocean, overreliance on plastics that culminate in garbage patches and floating death traps for sea animals, or simply the combination of actions that lead to climate change and habitat loss. To keep the ocean healthy and capable of supporting the vast forms of life that inhabit it, we of the land need to change. How we grow to understand and accept this requires education. While schools are the typical avenue for education, other approaches also exist. Institutions such as zoos and aquariums have the power to entertain, educate, enthrall, and inspire. From live animal presentations, to interactive programs and games with guests, to formal and more casual talks, zoo and aquarium staff members can provide visitors with insights into the world around them. Engaging individuals in a realistic evaluation of their potential to address the global problem of climate change and the deterioration of the ocean is challenging, especially when people arrive with many different expectations as to what their admission ticket just bought. Working as a volunteer at the New England Aquarium, one approach we use is by playing games that highlight the roles and responsibilities of the individual and community in our changing ocean. Through these activities visitors gain insight into the causes of the earth’s temperature rise and the 78
MAUREEN TRAINOR
“The ocean and the animals who live there are generally very important to the visitors at an aquarium and it is in assuming their roles as “stewards of the ocean” where visitors can quickly connect with the need for change.”
The Living Coral Exhibit at the New England Aquarium with one very popular resident Photo: Maureen Trainor 79