VAQ - Winter 2015

WINTER 2015

Virginia Aquarium Quarterly

INTRODUCING SEA ADVENTURES WINTER BOAT TRIPS ARE BETTER THAN EVER

DEATH BY PLASTIC THE ELIZABETH RIVER WHALE STRANDING

SE C T I ON T I T LE

MEMBERSHIP QUICK FACTS HOURS OF OPERATION

CONTACT INFORMATION

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AquariumMembership@VirginiaAquarium.com

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(757) 385-0279 Membership Office (757) 385-0300 Guest Services Office

VirginiaAquarium.com

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CLOSED THANKSGIVING & CHRISTMAS

DAILY ADMISSIONS PER MEMBERSHIP LEVEL

The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center’s mission is to inspire conservation of the marine environment through education, research and sustainable practices.

WINTER 2015, VOLUME 4, ISSUE 1 Virginia Aquarium Quarterly is published four times a year by the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Foundation located at 717 General Booth Blvd, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23451.

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Savannah Kaylor CONTRIBUTORS: Susan Barco, Karen Burns, Lynn Clements, Sarah Dawson, Beth Firchau, Mike Mizell, Shawn Reid, Pam Sandloop, April Strickland, Mark Swingle, Chris Witherspoon

WE CARE ABOUT CONSERVATION The VAQ is printed with soy-based inks on post-consumer recycled paper.

Please remember to recycle the VAQ when you’re finished reading & sharing it.

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OTTER

CRAB

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DAILY

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STINGRAY HEDGEHOG

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SEAL

DOLPHIN

WHALE

AT LEAST ONE NAMED CARDHOLDER MUST BE PRESENT.

OUR THEATER IS BACK! Check out our National Geographic Theater!

LY N N ’ S L I N E S

FEATURES

WAZA RECOGNIZES AQUARIUM RESEARCH It’s normally not a good thing to be recognized as 250th but for one Virginia Aquarium research project, that’s what we are celebrating!

The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) selected our project entitled “Virginia and Maryland Sea Turtle Research and Conservation Initiative” to cap off their plan to recognize in situ (in the field) animal conservation projects around the world.

This multi-faceted study updates the state of knowledge for sea turtles in Chesapeake Bay and ocean waters off Virginia, with the loggerhead being the primary focus. Preliminary survey results suggest that each year there are tens of thousands of sea turtles in ocean waters up to 40 miles offshore of Virginia and thousands in the Chesapeake Bay. Satellite tracking shows that animals inhabit the Bay and mid-Atlantic ocean waters in the summer and move offshore or south to North Carolina and as far as Florida in winter. One turtle was tracked for 500 days!

Sea turtle strandings remain high in the study area with more than 900 recorded during the project. Some of the leading causes of mortalities are human interactions such as fishing gear entanglements, boat strikes and marine debris ingestion. A sea turtle conservation plan for Virginia and Maryland will be the culmination of the project in 2015.

For more on this and other WAZA Conservation Projects worldwide, scan this QR code to visit WAZA.org or download the WAZA app, BiodiversityIsUs, available at Google Play and the Apple Store.

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SEA ADVENTURES

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DEATH BY PLASTIC

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YOUR AQUARIUM NEEDS YOU

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EVENT GUIDE

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EXPERT Q&A

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SPECIES CHAMPION

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VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

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FISH FINATIC

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SUPPORT

Executive Director

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FAN PHOTOS

SEND US YOUR FAVORITE PHOTOS TAKEN AT THE AQUARIUM The top picks will be included in the VAQ. Send a max of 3 high resolution, jpeg files to VAQmag@virginiaaquarium.com. Sending photos grants the Virginia Aquarium the right to use the photos in promotional materials. Please limit attachments to 10MB per email.

FLASHBACK! THE AQUARIUM STAFF IN 1995

ELLIOT AT THE OTTER EXHIBIT SARAH KELLER

SO MUCH TO “SEA” WITH CHRISTIAN & JONATHAN ANDREW & HOPE BELVIN

RHYS RIDES THE DOLPHIN AT THE ADVENTURE PARK SARAH KELLER

SOPHIA’S OTTER ENCOUNTER DAVID HAYCOX

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VIRGINIA AQUARIUM QUARTERLY | WINTER 2015

VOLUNTEER

OPEN HOUSE JANUARY 22, 2015 | 4PM – 6PM

VIRGINIA AQUARIUM

E-CYCLING EVENT JANUARY 24TH, 2015 10AM-2PM V I R G I N I A A Q U A R I U M E A S T PA R K I N G L O T

GREEN UP WHILE YOU CLEAN UP! Recycle your unwanted personal electronic equipment and keep recyclable materials out of landfills.

Interested In a Free Aquarium Membership?

Volunteer 100 Hours and It’s Free!

There are many interesting things you can do at the Aquarium. Stop by the Bay & Ocean Pavilion on Thursday, January 22nd to learn about all the volunteer opportunities that are available for teens, adults, and students looking for an interesting internship.

SPONSORED BY:

For more information on the E-Cycling program, visit VirginiaAquarium.com or call (757) 385-0262.

NOW PLAYING

OUR GIFT TO YOU! BUY AN AQUARIUM MEMBERSHIP BEFORE JANUARY 31ST AND RECEIVE A $20 COUPON! Visit VirginiaAquarium.com for details.

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VIRGINIA AQUARIUM QUARTERLY | WINTER 2015

VIRGINIA AQUARIUM SEA ADVENTURES START IN

January

The Virginia Aquarium is pleased to announce the selection of a new boat operator, Rover Cruises, to assist us in providing educational and entertaining SEA ADVENTURES that bring marine science to life. If you’ve taken a cruise aboard the American Rover out of Waterside Marina in Norfolk, then you are familiar with our new partners and their commitment to providing high quality trips that surpass customer expectations.

In January, 2015, we kick off our 24th season for whale watching and dolphin watching trips, and our 26th season of ocean collections trawling trips for both school groups and the public. Since 1989, Virginia Aquarium boat trips have effectively engaged adults, families, and student groups in coastal marine ecology by providing opportunities to observe dolphins, whales, and other marine life in their natural habitat. To enhance the experience, our programs always feature professional educators to provide interpretation, volunteers with special training to answer questions, and an assortment of biofacts and other visual aids to add a hands-on element to the trip. In addition, staff members on board collect data related to whale and dolphin sightings. This information is used in the Aquarium’s research and conservation efforts and contribute to federal and regional management of marine mammal populations and to environmental assessments. continued

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new?

WHAT’S

There’s more to our trips than just a new operator and new name. As we start a new chapter in our long history of boat-based programming, there will be a few new features that will add to your experience.

All of our trips will conveniently depart from the Virginia Aquarium dock located adjacent to the Bay & Ocean Pavilion parking lot and include a cruise through Owls Creek.

A portion of all Sea Adventures ticket sales will support Virginia Aquarium conservation initiatives, including the rescue and rehabilitation efforts of the Stranding Response Team.

All programs are being refreshed to highlight the most up-to-date information about marine life off Virginia’s coast and to provide additional hands-on activities.

Rover Cruises has outfitted a 65-ft catamaran-style vessel, the Atlantic Explorer, especially for conducting dolphin watching, whale watching, and other educational Sea Adventures. The vessel has a heated cabin, outer decks for observing wildlife, a snack bar, an indoor educational activity space, and restroom facilities.

The Aquarium’s dock is being renovated to provide a comfortable and inviting place to wait for your trip to depart.

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Virginia Aquarium Quarterly | Fall 2014| WINTER 2015 VIRGINIA AQUARIUM QUARTERLY

trip PLAN YOUR

WINTER SEA ADVENTURES: JANUARY THROUGH MARCH SCHEDULE

TICKETS Trips are available through March 1: Wednesdays and Fridays at 2PM Saturdays, Sundays and holiday Mondays at 10AM and 2PM Please note the schedule is subject to change, including starting and extending the season.

Tickets are available at the Aquarium or online at VirginiaAquarium.com WHALES & WILDLIFE TICKET PRICES: Adults $27 Children ages 3-11 $23 Children under age 3 No charge

The schedule for spring and summer Dolphin Discoveries and Ocean Collections Sea Adventures will be posted on the website when available.

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WINTER QUARTER

DETACH AND KEEP FOR QUICK REFERENCE

PROGRAM AN D EVENTS GUIDE SPECIAL EVENTS Dragon Day January 17 | 11am–3pm Whether your favorite dragon is a Komodo or Puff the Magic Dragon, we celebrate them all on Dragon Day! Meet our Komodo dragon keepers and try your hand at dragon trivia.

BAY & OCEAN PAVILION

Extreme Experiments February 14 | 11am–3pm Kids and adults get to be scientists for a day! Aquarium guests can perform fun and mysterious experiments that they can also do at home with a few simple supplies.

BAY & OCEAN PAVILION

Speaker: Robert Corell February 22 | 2pm Our next Watts’ Conservation speaker is an expert on climate change research and policy.

He will be discussing how sea level rise and climate change will affect our lives.

BAY & OCEAN PAVILION

Volunteer Open House

Trash Bash

January 22 | 4–6pm

March 14 | 11am–3pm

Learn all about Aquarium volunteer opportunities available for teens and adults, as well as interesting internships for students.

When you give 100 hours of volunteer service, you earn a free membership!

BAY & OCEAN PAVILION

E-Cycling Event January 24 | 10am–2pm Green up while you clean up at this e-cycling event, offered in partnership with TFC Recycling, Recycling Perks and Goodwill Industries. For acceptable items, visit VirginiaAquarium.com.

EAST PARKING LOT

Homeschool Day January 30 | 9am–5pm Discover the amazing underwater world of the Aquarium and travel on an aquatic journey from the shore to the depths of the Atlantic Ocean.

Homeschool families receive a special rate and programming.

$10 adult, $8 children BAY & OCEAN PAVILION

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This event focuses on marine debris and its effects on the environment. Guests can visit stations throughout the Aquarium for recycled craft ideas and environmental games, as well as test their knowledge of the effects of trash in the environment at the Marine Debris Curiosity Cart. Join Aquarium educators for “critter close ups” and learn why a healthy environment is crucial to their survival.

MARSH PAVILION

NURTURING NATURALISTS Each month educators will hold a onehour nature play session designed to help parents build the confidence to take family nature outings and foster a love of nature in their children. Activities geared for kids ages 4-10 and their parents. Free with admission.

Check in 9:45am at the Marsh Pavilion lobby.

Explore the Woods January 21 & 24 | 10–11am There’s a lot happening in the woods in winter. Dress for the weather of the day and wear comfortable shoes for a short hike in the woods to look for animal tracks and other signs of wildlife.

MARSH PAVILION

Water Play for a Rainy Day February 19 & 21 | 10–11am Rain or shine, we’ll do water activities that are easy to do indoors whenever your plans for a play day in nature get washed out.

MARSH PAVILION

Breakfast with the Bunny MEMBERS ONLY

March 28 | 9–10:30am Enjoy a delicious breakfast prepared by Sodexo chefs!

Meet our resident animal ambassadors and visit with the Easter Bunny. Aquarium educators will lead bunny-themed crafts and activities to kick off this spring celebration, including a special egg hunt for kids of all ages. Seating is limited and pre-registration is required.

Call (757) 385-0300 to make reservations after February 1st.

$17 members BAY & OCEAN PAVILION

VIRGINIA AQUARIUM QUARTERLY | WINTER 2015

DISCOVERY DAYS

TODDLER PROGRAMS

Geared for ages 4-6, programs include age-appropriate discussions, activities and crafts. $7 members, $10 non-members.

Pre-registration is strongly recommended by calling (757) 385-0278 or by e-mailing programs@virginiaaquarium.com.

Sponsored by Whole Foods, these weekly programs are created just for the little ones. Included with membership and admission. Programs last about 30 minutes. Adults must accompany child during program.

Little One’s Science Lab

Toddler Tuesday

January 8 | 2–3:15pm

Every Tuesday | 11am & 12:30pm

Put on your lab aprons and join us for some hands-on science experiments. Learn how to form a hypothesis, conduct an experiment and record results.

MARSH PAVILION

Defend and Protect January 15 | 2–3:15pm

Toddler Trek Every Thursday | 11am An exploration session for early learners to discover a new animal, color and shape through fun outdoor activities. Takes place indoors during inclement weather.

MARSH PAVILION

We Heart Animals

Puppet Shows

At the Aquarium, we love all animals great and small – even the smelly ones. Join us to meet a few of our animal ambassadors and learn why we love animals so much.

January 15, February 19, March 19 11am & 12:30pm

MARSH PAVILION

On the third Tuesday of every month, our Toddler Tuesday features a live-action puppet show to accompany our story time.

MARSH PAVILION

Slithery Snakes

Play Time

February 19 | 2–3:15pm

10am–1pm

Most people know that snakes smell with their tongues, but did you know they don’t use their teeth to chew? Learn all about these wonderful animals and meet a few of the Aquarium’s slithery ambassadors.

MARSH PAVILION

Windy Weather March 5 | 2–3:15pm Come learn how wind is created through hands-on experiments and learn how animals use wind to their advantage.

MARSH PAVILION

Wake Up – Spring is Here March 19 | 2–3:15pm

Go beyond the Aquarium glass for a closer look. Bring yourself face-to-fin with your favorite creatures and connect with them up close. Reservations required in ­advance.

Book online or call (757) 385-0300. Some age and height restrictions apply. Must be able to climb stairs. Book by noon.

Bring your little ones for this ageappropriate program that includes story time, songs and an Aquarium adventure.

MARSH PAVILION

Some hide, some stink and some look scary.

Come explore the many ways animals protect themselves from becoming a meal.

MARSH PAVILION

February 5 | 2–3:15pm

BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Drop in for a fun playtime with our educators. We’ll facilitate activities and play along with your children while they enjoy our current Changing Exhibit, The Adventures of MR. POTATO HEAD. BAY & OCEAN PAVILION

Sea Turtles Monday, Wednesday, Friday | 1pm Go above the Chesapeake Light Tower Aquarium to observe aquarists conducting a feeding and behavioral training session with the sea turtles. 45 minutes.

$15 members, $20 non-members BAY & OCEAN PAVILION

Above & Beyond Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday | 12:30–1:15pm Take a peek at the “inner workings” of a public aquarium and find out how we care for our fish and other marine animals during a tour of selected aquarium service areas. 45 minutes.

$15 members, $20 non-members BAY & OCEAN PAVILION

Harbor Seals Monday, Tuesday & Thursdays 2:30pm Spend time with our harbor seals as animal care staff conduct a training session.

Learn about seal biology, conservation and receive a souvenir photo CD of your experience. 45 minutes.

$45 members, $55 non-members BAY & OCEAN PAVILION

Animals are beginning to wake up from hibernation and flowers are starting to bloom. Join us on a scavenger hunt nature walk and discover all the signs of spring.

MARSH PAVILION WINTER 2015 | VIRGINIA AQUARIUM QUARTERLY

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EXPERT Q&A

TRAINING FOR A H A P PY LI FE SARAH DAWSON SENIOR TRAINER, MAMMALS

Q: A:

What do you do on an average day?

My day includes diet preparation and behavioral training sessions for otters, seals and small mammals. We also clean and maintain the exhibit areas.

Q: A:

What is your favorite part of the job?

The training sessions that we do with the seals and the otters are my favorite part of the job.

Especially when I am working on a new behavior and the animal has an “aha!” moment where they understand what I’m trying to teach them.

Q: A:

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What is the most difficult part of your job?

For me, the most difficult part of the job is diving in the seal or otter exhibit in the winter. I love warm weather!

VIRGINIA AQUARIUM QUARTERLY | WINTER 2015

Sarah goes above and beyond to help animals have “aha!” moments – she regularly dives into cold water to train with them.

Q: A:

Why is animal enrichment important?

Enrichment changes an animal’s environment and makes it more interesting. At the Aquarium, we offer stimulating enrichment that helps our animals be more active.

Q: A:

How did you end up in this line of work?

Ever since I was little, I have always wanted to be a marine mammal trainer. I worked hard throughout my academic career and volunteered wherever I could. I have been very fortunate to work with some amazing animals and people too.

SPECIES CHAMPION

VO LU N T E E R S P OT L I G H T

SUE BARCO

FOR HER WORK WITH HUMPBACK WHALES

Megaptera novaeangliae Susan Barco has been studying large whales in the mid-Atlantic since the early 1990s. Her work with humpback and north Atlantic right whales has provided significant new scientific information in support of the recovery and conservation of these endangered species. Large baleen whales were decimated in the western north Atlantic Ocean by commercial whaling of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Since being protected, these endangered species have been slowly recovering.

ROSLYN LUBASH & JULIA SMITH The Aquarium is always excited to see a passion for our mission passed down from one generation to another. Few exemplify this better than volunteers Roslyn Lubash and her granddaughter

A key to their protection and continued recovery has been the work of scientists like Susan. She and her colleagues have identified the mid-Atlantic coastal region as an important winter habitat for humpback whales, a habitat not previously recognized for its potential significance. Photo-identification and biopsy sampling have identified more than 100 individual humpback whales in the region.

Susan has also made major contributions to the study of northern right whales, the most endangered large whale species. Her coordination of investigations into mortalities along the U.S. Atlantic coast has helped identify some of the major threats to right whale recovery, such as vessel strikes and entanglement in fishing gear.

Rosalyn is a docent who began volunteering in

Whale research directly supports the development of policies and best practices to further protect and conserve the species. For more about whales in the region, book a Whales & Wildlife Sea Adventure.

2010 and has over 1,000 hours of service. Julia

– BY MARK SWINGL E

Julia Smith.

decided to follow in her footsteps and began volunteering in July of 2014. It’s an experience that both find fun and fulfilling. As Rosalyn says, “You learn a lot working with amazing staff and other volunteers. You make friends and meet people from all over the world, sharing knowledge and making their visits more meaningful”. There is a special bond in the shared enthusiasm that they have for volunteering at the Aquarium. –

BY S H AW N R E I D

For information about volunteering, call (757) 385-0274, M-F 9AM - 5PM or visit www.VirginiaAquarium.com/volunteer

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STRANDING NEWS

DEATH BY

PLASTIC

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ELIZABETH RIVER WHALE

This is a story about the impact humans have on marine animals. Unfortunately, it isn’t a happy one.

While we are still waiting on some tests, we have a pretty good idea of what we think happened to the Elizabeth River sei (pronounced ‘say’) whale that appeared in Hampton Roads in mid-August of 2014.

BY SUSAN BA R CO

Her arrival stunned and captivated concerned onlookers who had never seen a whale reach the waters of the Elizabeth River. As they sought to understand her last days, the Aquarium Stranding Response Team discovered a story that begins far earlier. Weeks or perhaps even months before she appeared in Virginia, the juvenile female whale had ingested a jagged shard of plastic. Being a sei whale, she was a “gulper,” engulfing a large amount of water and prey all at one time. She was probably feeding near the surface, perhaps lunging out of the water as she closed her mouth around her favorite foods, krill and tiny crustaceans. Floating on the surface of the water, right where she was feeding, was the innocuous bit of black plastic that would ultimately lead to her death.

Perhaps it fell out of someone’s car; maybe it was run over by other cars.

Broken into pieces, perhaps during a thunderstorm it was washed into the storm drain and ultimately into the ocean. Maybe it happened in New York, maybe in Massachusetts, maybe here in Virginia. The piece of plastic started its existence as a DVD case, but ended up being just a small piece of marine debris – that killed an endangered whale.

SEI WHALE

Balaenoptera borealis E N DA N G E R E D

THE SEI WHALE IS A “GULPER” SWALLOWING LARGE AMOUNTS OF WATER AND PREY ALL AT ONE TIME. UNLIKE THE FOOD SHE EATS EVERY DAY, THE PLASTIC SHE SWALLOWED DIDN’T BREAK DOWN, BUT REMAINED IN HER STOMACH, CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE AND PAIN.

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VIRGINIA AQUARIUM QUARTERLY | WINTER 2015

ONE PIECE OF PLASTIC’S DEADLY JOURNEY THROUGH THE SEI WHALE’S CHAMBERED STOMACH ALONG WITH KRILL AND SURFACE PLANKTON, THE WHALE INGESTED MARINE DEBRIS, INCLUDING A 5” PIECE OF BLACK PLASTIC, PART OF A BROKEN DVD CASE. PLASTIC RECOVERED DURING WHALE NECROPSY

Food and plastic moved from the whale’s throat into her first stomach, the fore-stomach.

The plastic moved through the tight ring of muscle (sphincter) into her main stomach.

She probably felt nothing unusual as the plastic entered this first large opening . . .

Food is normally liquified when it leaves the pyloric stomach and enters the intestine.

but she likely felt pain as the rigid, sharp-edged piece entered her stomach.

The plastic eventually made its way through another sphincter and into her last stomach, the pyloric, where it stayed.

Excruciating pain probably stopped her from eating.

The plastic continued to cut into the whale’s stomach as she slowly starved on her way into our region.

When she reached the Elizabeth River, she was thin, weak and dying of starvation.

The plastic was still the same size as when it was swallowed:

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SQUARE INCHES

DEATH BY

A VESSEL STRIKE HOURS BEFORE DEATH PROBABLY HASTENED THE INEVITABLE:

PLASTIC

WE NEED TO LEARN A LESSON FROM THE ELIZABETH RIVER WHALE

HOW YOU CAN HELP

This time it was a DVD case, next time it might be a grocery bag, soda bottle, or a balloon.

WHATEVER IT IS, IT DOESN’T BELONG IN THE OCEAN.

Please pick up litter and dispose of it properly, whether it’s yours or someone else’s. Don’t use plastic if you don’t have to. Re-use it when you can. Always recycle it. It’s plastic – it doesn’t go away. And it can kill animals like the sei whale that died in the Elizabeth River.

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F I S H F I N AT I C The Virginia Aquarium is home to over 7,000 fish, close to 200 species, and we can’t help but get excited about them. Our staff are truly fish finatics! We hope you’ll love learning about some of our favorite fish.

FORSTER’S H AWKFIS H

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Hawkfish choose distinct mates and will remain with the same mate year after year.

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This fish uses its pectoral fins to perch and hang from reef structures and prefers branching stoney corals the most.

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Like all hawkfish, this fish can be extremely territorial and aggressive to other fish.

VIRGINIA AQUARIUM QUARTERLY | WINTER 2015

Paracirrhites forsteri

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Though this hawkfish may change its coloration several times during its lifetime, red freckles on its face remain throughout its life.

This fish is found throughout the Indo-Pacific Ocean and in the southernmost waters of the Red Sea.

FUNDRAISING

YOUR AQUARIUM NEEDS YOU

BY PAM SANDLOOP

T

he Virginia Aquarium is your Aquarium. You can count on seeing amazing animals in our two public buildings seven days a week. You know you will find fascinating exhibits and hands-on activities. You expect to encounter engaging staff and volunteer members. And you can count on enjoying the Aquarium 363 days each year. But did you know that we need you?

Your membership helps keep our doors open, but your donations make the Aquarium special. Your donations make it possible for us to have the animals that you know and love on exhibit. Your gifts make it possible for us to provide stranding response for stranded marine animals. And your gifts allow hundreds of thousands of children and adults to learn about the ocean and our marine environment. You make the Virginia Aquarium possible – and we need you. Will you make a gift to the Virginia Aquarium today?

THE VIRGINIA AQUARIUM IS YOUR AQUARIUM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. To make a gift by phone call 757-385-0262. Visit www.VirginiaAquarium.com/SavetheOcean to make a gift online or mail your donation to the Virginia Aquarium, 717 General Booth Boulevard, Virginia Beach, VA 23451. (EIN: 52-1272309)

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THANK YOU! Contributions from August 1 through October 31, 2014 ANNUAL FUND Charles Alderman Jason Baker Capital Group, Home of American Funds Claire Carbone Michelle Collins Christopher Coronato Blake and Caron Crouse Thomas E. Fraim, Jr. Craig & Sue Grube* Sanci M. Hall Paul & Susan Hirschbiel Gerald Jaffe Cathy Johnson Patricia Johnson Robert Leipold Sheila Magula Gerald “JT” McDonald Mission Enterprises, LLC Norfolk Southern Charitable Match Trust, at the direction of William Spicuzza Elsa L. Parli Stephanie Pope Richard H. Puckett Lori Skowronski Ronald & Harriet Steinberg Barbara Swindler TFC Recycling / Recycling Perks Kelly Tucker F.B. Wilhoit ANIMAL AMBASSADORS Mr. & Mrs. William R. Bohrer EDUCATION Capital Group, Home of American Funds EXHIBITS The Breakers Resort Inn Dominion Foundation Ocean Creek Apparel, LLC Lee A. & Helen Gifford Fund of the Hampton Roads Community Foundation Norva Plastics TFC Recycling / Recycling Perks

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THANK YOU

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT BY GIVING AT

www.VirginiaAquarium.com/SaveTheOcean

GREEN TEAM Michelle T. Anderson Anonymous L. Crosby Theresa Demorest Robert A. Gorby Susan High Keep Virginia Beautiful “30 Grants in 30 Days” HORTICULTURE Kit Hayden STRANDING RESPONSE PROGRAM ODU Marine Biology Student Association Sandbridge Beach Fitness, Proceeds from the Annual Sandbridge Beach Hei Hei 47 Seaglass ALG Contracting Warren L. Berry Martha O. Foiles Lisa L. Speckheuer LYNN’S LEGACY Joan Barns Michelle Joyner Lisa Renz IN HONOR OF Ann Rawls “Rendy” Adams Elizabeth J. Mathers Michelle Collins Capital Group, Home of American Funds Hannah Hanes Jessica Stewart Chris Hill Gloria F. Biemesderfer Peter Szczepankiewicz IBM, International Business Machines Corporation Peter Weed Marian Childress

VIRGINIA AQUARIUM QUARTERLY | WINTER 2015

IN MEMORY OF Joe Benson Karen Gross Captain Bob Gohr Jillianne Gohr Pamela D. Parker Allan Parker Freda Stanley Lynn Clements Joan & Ed Grant Martha Rollins Mike Yatsko Lynn Clements Kathleen Reed VIRGINIA AQUARIUM VOLUNTEER LEAGUE SCHOLARSHIP FUND IN MEMORY OF Shirley Emerson Sandy Wood John Shepherd Virginia Aquarium Volunteer League Freda Stanley Josie Sprague Sandy Wood Mike Yatsko Sandy Wood Sandra Yon *Special thanks to Order of the Turtle members who make unrestricted gifts of $2,500 or more.

COMMOTION IN THE OCEAN 2014 SPONSORS TITLE Gold Key / PHR Hotels & Resorts TowneBank Wolcott Rivers Gates Attorneys at Law PLATINUM Capital Group Companies Williams Mullen

GOLD ABS Technology Architects Beach Ford BB&T Capital Concrete, Inc. Checkered Flag Motor Car Company The ESG Companies FCI Towers Hoffman Beverage Marathon Consulting Mid-Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management Optima Health OVM Financial, Inc. Port of Virginia Portfolio Recovery Associates S.B. Ballard Construction Co. Tidewater Home Funding Tidewater Fibre Corp / TFC Recycling / Recycling Perks The Windward Foundation SILVER Andrew Kellam, Southern Trust Mortgage BCF Burton Lumber Corporation First Team Auto HAV, Inc. Marlyn Development Corp.

MASA Corp.

McLeskey Family Foundation McPhillips, Roberts & Deans Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Monarch Bank & Mortgage Otto Design Rutherfoord, a Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Company Waller, Todd and Sadler Architects, Inc. Waypoint Advisors Wells Fargo Bank BRONZE Altmeyer Funeral Home Atlantic Bay Mortgage CB Richard Ellis

Ben Davenport Franklin Johnston Group Frye Properties, Inc. Hot House Yoga J.D. Miles & Sons Mayo Insurance Agency McGuire Woods, LLP Palladium Registered Investment Advisors QED Systems, Inc. Summit Group, Ashley Galler WPL Landscape Architecture, Land Surveying, Civil Engineering IN-KIND H.M. Terry Co., Inc., Sewansecott Clams & Oysters Hoffman Beverage Lynnhaven Oyster Company Whitlock, Billy Edwards Sysco Hampton Roads AUCTIONEER Atlantic Asset Management Group, Inc. SILENT AND LIVE AUCTION 79PT Addison Weeks

The Adventure Park at the Virginia Aquarium Altmeyer Funeral Home American Rover Sailing Harbor Cruises Back Bay Brewing Co. Back Bay Gourmet Balance Massage Bay Creek Golf Club Beach Eye Care Beach Hardware Billy Summs, Atlantic Asset Management Group Blue Crab Bay Bryce Burton Captain George’s Seafood Restaurant Cardinal Point Vineyard & Winery Cavalier Golf & Yacht Club Chick’s Oyster Bar Paul and Janice Chupka Coastal Edge Croc’s 19th Street Bistro Dan Ryan’s for Men Devil’s Backbone Brewing Co. Doc Taylor’s East Coast Appliance East Coast Paddleboards Edwards Travel, Inc. Either Ore Jewelers

Ellen Sinclair Ferguson Enterprises Freedom Surf Shop Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Highway 55, Great Neck Rd. Hoffman Beverage Hospitality Ascent, LLC Hot House Yoga Inlet Fitness Jody’s Popcorn JP Stewart & Marlin Lacrosse Camps Kazam Andrew & Courtney Kellam Larry Ward Lionheart Limited Long Jewelers Longaberger Michael McCabe Meadow Farms Nursery Meg’s Swimwear Sherri Miles My Premier Designs No Frill Grill Norfolk Southern Ocean Breeze O’Connor Brewing Co. Origami Owl Pampered Chef Papa John’s Pizza, Outer Banks N.C.

Paparazzi PartyLite Ragged Robin Jim & Sally Reeve Jami and Bob Schuster Shine Yoga Siebert Realty The Signature Golf Course Simply Selma’s Spa Phoenix Springhill Suites, VA Beach Oceanfront Stoley’s Taste Tidewater Tautogs Tempt Restaurant Lounge The Full Cup Tidewater Volleyball Association Tinto Wine & Cheese, etc.

Tupperware Virginia Mystery Writers Virginia Beach Restaurant Association Waterman’s Surfside Grille Wave Works West Marine Jon & Kim Wheeler Will Corr The Williamsburg Winery WRV Ryan Zimmerman

LOCALS ONLY SPECIAL

$10 OFF ADULT ADMISSION February – March | Monday – Friday | 9AM – 5PM Read to claim: Local refers to Hampton Roads. Hampton Roads is defined as individuals living in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Newport News, Hampton, Williamsburg and Poquoson. Proof of Hampton Roads residency is required. A Hampton Roads driver’s license is acceptable. For individuals without a Hampton Roads driver’s license, a driver’s license and proof of residency may be used. Acceptable proof of residency is a utility bill from a Hampton Roads address which has the same name as the driver’s license. Discount applies Monday through Friday 9am to 5pm for Adult Aquarium or Adult Aquarium/movie combination tickets only. Not valid with any other offers, discounts or coupons.

For more information call Guest Services at 757-385-3474 or visit VirginiaAquarium.com.

WINTER 2015 | VIRGINIA AQUARIUM QUARTERLY

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717 GENERAL BOOTH BLVD VIRGINIA BEACH, VA 23451 (757) 385-FISH VirginiaAquarium.com A PUBLICATION OF THE VIRGINIA AQUARIUM & MARINE SCIENCE CENTER FOUNDATION The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks & Aquariums, and World Association of Zoos & Aquariums.

Postmaster: Please deliver by January 31, 2015