Page 4 – Seattle Aquarium

What is biodiversity and why is it important to us?

Posted on April 22, 2024December 12, 2024 by Emma Leiser

If you took a time machine back to four billion years ago, life would look very different. Because all life forms would look nearly the same! All life on Earth shares a common ancestor, but billions of years of genetic mutations took us from microscopic organisms to millions of unique species, adapted to live all around the world. This wide variety of life is known as biodiversity.

Biodiversity has three components: genes, species and ecosystems. All living things have genes, which guide how the organism will look and behave. Genes mutate, and these changes can impact how well organisms survive in their environment. Over time, genetic changes build up, eventually leading to distinct species. Many different species and nonliving environmental factors—including water, minerals, currents, wind and temperature—interact to function as an ecosystem, where they fulfill different roles. The global ecosystem of all Earth’s living beings is called the biosphere.

For example, an organism’s genes determine whether it grows a shell to become a mussel, sprouts many tentacles like a sea anemone or grows wings like a black oystercatcher. In a rocky shore ecosystem, these species all coexist. Each fills a different role, like how mussels filter water, anemones provide other organisms shelter and black oystercatchers maintain balance in the populations of their prey species.

Biodiversity's importance

A diverse ecosystem with many different species is more likely to survive natural and human-made catastrophes like floods, storms, wildfires and marine heat waves. The members of that ecosystem offer a wide range of possible strengths and defenses. Each adaptation represents a potential way to help the ecosystem bounce back from challenges.

Species within an ecosystem are connected, which means a threat to any one species could have surprisingly widespread effects.

Sea otters represent a classic example of the dangers of disregarding biodiversity. During the 18th and 19th centuries, hunters and fur traders nearly drove sea otters to extinction. The decline in sea otters led to an explosion of sea urchins, their prey, since there were no longer enough sea otters to fill the role of predator. The urchins overgrazed kelp beds, which are vital habitats for many marine species, including rockfish and salmon. Sea otter populations are on the rebound thanks to conservation efforts, but recovery of these ecosystems is a lengthy process.

Think of an ecosystem like a car. A car is made up of many different parts, some of them small or unseen. If your car were to lose one bolt, would you still want to drive it? What about two bolts or a headlight or even a whole tire? How many parts would you be willing to lose before you no longer feel safe?

Marine species face many human-caused threats, including overfishing, climate change, habitat loss and pollution. Losses of marine biodiversity have brought huge changes to ecosystems. And since Earth’s ecosystems connect to create the biosphere, losses of biodiversity could mean planet-wide changes, affecting us all.

Billions of people—including you!—rely on the ocean for food, medicine and other resources. Changes in marine ecosystems, like the continuous problem of overfishing, could threaten these resources. In addition, your job might be connected to the sea. Your favorite vacation spot or even your home might be located near a body of water that is vulnerable to coastal erosion, dangerous storms or species losses.

Threats to biodiversity could mean the loss of culturally important species or activities, especially for Indigenous communities. Some endangered marine species—including sea otters and southern resident orcas—are considered culturally significant by people native to the Pacific Northwest. Indigenous peoples have stewarded coastal areas since time immemorial and continue to lead efforts to protect marine biodiversity. Their traditional knowledge is vital to conservation work.

Our biodiversity initiatives

The Seattle Aquarium is involved in many conservation projects that aim to protect and restore biodiversity in the Salish Sea and beyond. Among our longest-running projects are seasonal and annual surveys of Washington’s sea otter population. The more information we have on sea otters, the better we can understand what conditions they need to thrive.

We are also involved in recovery projects for Indo-Pacific leopard sharks, kelp and xʷč’iłqs, which is the Lushootseed word for pinto abalone. The Seattle Aquarium values the expertise of Indigenous people and has partnered with tribes, Indigenous leaders, and local communities in Washington State and in the Coral Triangle on research and conservation efforts for these species.

Celebrating biodiversity at the Ocean Pavilion

Our new Ocean Pavilion expansion will bring the jaw-dropping biodiversity of the Coral Triangle to Seattle. Coral reefs are hubs of biodiversity. They support about a quarter of known marine life, despite taking up less than 1% of the seafloor. Known as the “Amazon of the ocean,” the Coral Triangle is a reef system in the Indo-Pacific that is considered the most biologically diverse marine ecoregion in the world. It contains 75% of known coral species, including at least 15 endemic species that are found nowhere else on the planet.

The Ocean Pavilion is designed to celebrate the biodiversity of Earth’s one ocean. The design process included cross-cultural collaboration between local Coast Salish and urban Indigenous leaders and the Aquarium’s design and architectural team.

When the building opens this summer, you’ll have the chance to come face to face with over 100 different tropical marine species. Through the Ocean Pavilion’s publicly accessible oculus window, you’ll see the beauty of a healthy reef ecosystem just by walking by. And native plantings on the rooftop and public artwork will highlight the relationships between Coast Salish communities and shoreline ecosystems.

By surrounding yourself in the ocean’s bounty of life—whether on a visit to the Aquarium or a trip to the shore—you can appreciate your part in the global web of biodiversity. And the role you can play in protecting it.

Inside the world of “enFISHment”—enrichment for fish!

Posted on April 16, 2024April 16, 2024 by Emma Leiser

You’ve probably seen pictures or videos of animals at the Seattle Aquarium enjoying enrichment. Maybe you’ve caught sight of a sea otter receiving a treat during training or a giant Pacific octopus solving a puzzle. But did you know that every animal at the Aquarium receives enrichment—including the fish?

In animal care, enrichment includes experiences and care that allow animals to exercise their natural behavior or instincts, stimulate themselves physically or mentally, and experience an environment that meets their needs. And while that can look like toys, puzzles and training, it also includes sensory experiences, feedings, habitat elements and social opportunities.

For fish, enrichment usually includes changing up their environment, providing appropriate habitats for each species, thoughtful feeding techniques and other good animal care practices. In fact, much of the daily care for these animals contributes to enrichment in some way.

As an institution accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)—a global independent nonprofit that holds its member zoos and aquariums to the highest standards—the Seattle Aquarium submits our enrichment plans for AZA review and approval. Our team also keeps detailed enrichment logs, to ensure we’re meeting each animal’s requirements.

Mindful meals

Our team puts a lot of thought into how they feed fish, as mealtime is a great time to satisfy different species’ physical and behavioral needs. The method of food distribution plays a part in this. In most large, mixed-species habitats—where fish often share space with plants and invertebrates like sea stars, anemones, corals and crustaceans—food is dispersed throughout the water. But that doesn’t mean food is simply dropped in.

Aquarists can release food near the pump in a habitat, so the current carries it away. The fish chase after it, just like they would hunt food in the ocean. Team members can also vary where in the habitat they release food, to give the fish a sense of novelty and allow them to find food independently. To mimic natural grazing behaviors, animal caretakers give tropical fish lettuce for them to munch on. And aquarists at our offsite Animal Care Center—where future Ocean Pavilion residents now live—regularly place Manila clams in the spotted eagle rays habitat, which fulfills the rays’ natural desire to sift through the sand for food and exercise their plate-like teeth.

Some of the larger fish at the Animal Care Center, like sharks and rays, participate in target training during certain feeding times. Aquarists signal feeding time using a whistle and have the animals touch a target—which is a different shape and color for each species—before being rewarded with food. This training builds trust and prepares the animals for how they’ll eat and receive veterinary care in their buzzing, multi-species habitat at the Ocean Pavilion. See the process for yourself in our Animal Care Stories!

Change is a good thing!

We could all use a change of scenery every once in a while. To keep fish stimulated and mimic the ever-changing conditions in the ocean, aquarists regularly change up parts of their habitats. That can mean moving around rockwork or other physical pieces of the habitat. Team members can also adjust the water flow for a change of pace.

Habitat cleaning keeps things fresh in more ways than one! It’s a great time to make some positive changes to a space. Cleaning walls, rockwork and substrate naturally shifts the habitat’s landscape.

The cleaning process—undertaken by knowledgeable aquarists—also introduces something new to animals’ environments. Usually, that novelty comes in the form of a scrubber, scraper, grabber or even a pair of hands. During a cleaning, aquarists are attuned to any animal that seems particularly startled by a new object in their environment, though most animals at the Aquarium quickly acclimate to these routine cleanings.

Keeping an eye out

But how can aquarists know that fish enrichment is effective? Through observational work!

By paying close attention, aquarists can make note of how the animals respond to enrichment time. If animals seem bright and alert during feedings—like a bay pipefish hunting for its food—that’s a good sign. Aquarists also keep an eye out to make sure all animals in a habitat get a chance to eat.

Through their daily care, aquarists get to know the behavior of individual fish pretty well. Understanding these animals’ habits helps inform decisions about their care. For example, a clown triggerfish at the Animal Care Center had such a bold personality, that aquarists decided to move him to a habitat with larger fish where he could really assert himself.

We can learn a lot about the fish in our care this way. Fish are smarter and more alert than some people give them credit for. They take notice too! Don’t believe it? Then you should see the way some fish follow an aquarist’s movements during feeding time. They know when it’s time for some tasty enrichment.

Urchins, anemones and sea stars, oh my! Invertebrate care at the Seattle Aquarium

Posted on April 3, 2024April 11, 2024 by Emma Leiser

This story is part of our series, The Doctor Is In—highlighting our veterinary team’s expertise in service of animal wellbeing.

Invertebrates—animals without backbones—are found in every habitat at the Seattle Aquarium. And, like all animals entrusted to us, they need expert care to thrive. “Our goal is to provide great quality of life in an enriching environment for the animal’s whole life,” says Director of Animal Health Dr. Caitlin Hadfield, MA VetMB MRCVS DiplAZCM DipECZM, “And that goes for all the animals under our care.”

“All the invertebrates get checked by Aquarium staff at least once every day,” she comments, “Their environmental conditions are checked as well—that includes evaluating the water and the systems that support it.” Although some invertebrates may seem like fairly simple animals on the surface, managing their care, says Dr. Hadfield, presents some interesting challenges. One of them stems from tracking the number of animals of each species because some, like corals, can be colonial. “It gets tricky,” says Dr. Hadfield. “Do we track this as one animal—a coral head certainly looks like one structure—or as the thousands of polyps that make up that structure?”

Even invertebrates need primary care providers

Regardless of how they’re counted, invertebrates, like all the animals at the Aquarium, are part of our preventative medicine program. Aquarium biologists are on the front lines of animal care, making careful observations of each animal at least once a day. “Our staff are experts at evaluating the animals they’re caring for and are able to identify subtle changes in their appearance or behavior,” says Dr. Hadfield. Because all animal care staff have the training and experience to make these evaluations, each animal at the Aquarium has the equivalent of a PCP, or primary care provider, who has the best understanding of their health history and needs.

Routine exams, in many cases, are also part of the Aquarium’s preventative medicine program (yes, even for invertebrates!). “A big part of that is reviewing the animal’s history,” says Dr. Hadfield. “For that, we rely on the knowledge of our animal care specialists and the information in our record systems.” Along with that review, an invertebrate checkup might involve a physical exam, fluid collection or ultrasound, depending on the animal’s needs. Sea urchins need their teeth checked, too!*

*Surprise—sea urchins have teeth! They’re arranged in circle at the bottom of the urchin’s body.

All for one, one for all

When doing health checks, it’s important to consider all the animals in a habitat. “If an animal isn’t eating well,” notes Dr. Hadfield, “It could be normal for that time of year or life stage, but it could also be because there’s something wrong with that animal, the other animals around it, or the world it’s living in.” In those cases, animals that show symptoms first can become “canaries in the coalmine” for issues that might affect neighboring animals. Closely monitoring individual animals can keep smaller problems from spreading and becoming bigger.

Providing the very best care and quality of life for all the animals entrusted to us is a vital part of our mission, Inspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment. Learn more about invertebrates at the Aquarium on our website or, better yet, plan a visit with us soon!

Expert animal care at every age

Posted on March 26, 2024April 11, 2024 by Emma Leiser

This story is part of our series, The Doctor Is In—highlighting our veterinary team’s expertise in service of animal wellbeing.

Our highest priority is providing the best possible lives for the animals in our care—nearly 18,000 fish, invertebrates, birds and mammals with the opening of the Ocean Pavilion. At the forefront of this work are our veterinary, water quality and animal care teams, whose members monitor the health of the animals every day.

Director of Animal Health Dr. Caitlin Hadfield, MA VetMB MRCVS DiplAZCM DiplECZM, is the veterinarian in charge: performing routine observations, interpreting records with animal care staff, providing treatments for animals when needed, and undertaking physical examinations routinely and when concerns arise.

Not surprisingly, some of those issues of concern are related to aging. Geriatric* medicine has become a focus for animal care specialists at zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)—including yours truly—for the best possible reason: as we continue to learn and share information, animals are living longer and longer lives.

*The term “geriatric” refers to older individuals, whether human or another kind of animal. Just as elderly humans require specialized medical care, other elderly animals do as well.

Caring for aging animals at the Seattle Aquarium

Here at the Aquarium, we have a number of geriatric animals in our care. For instance, Barney the harbor seal turned 38 in 2023, reaching a biological age that’s about the equivalent of a 100-year-old human!

And, at age 22, Adaa the sea otter was the oldest sea otter living at an AZA-accredited zoo or aquarium in the U.S. at the time of his passing in 2022. He was also the oldest male sea otter on record in the AZA studbook.*

*What’s a studbook? It’s a document that keeps track of information such as age, significant events like births or deaths, parentage and taxonomy (or the science of classifying and naming organisms). Staff at zoos and aquariums like the Seattle Aquarium work with the AZA to maintain regional studbooks for a wide variety of species. This demographic history is an invaluable tool to help guide conservation projects.

Aging is a complex process that refers to changes in all the systems and functions of an animal’s body; however, aging develops at different rates in different species. Some species of Pacific salmon, for example, have a very brief life (chronologically), dying soon after a single spawning event when they are a few years old. Spotted lagoon jellies also have shorter life spans—just three to four months. Rockfish, on the other hand, may live for over a hundred years!

Evolving care over time

The goal of geriatric care is to maintain the best possible quality of life for the individual animal during a time when they would normally be vulnerable to predation or unable to source food for themselves in the wild. Geriatric care at AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums, like ours, is respectful to each individual animal—for their life and its intrinsic value.

What that care involves differs by species and by individual. Our animal care staff work hard to create and maintain environments for aging animals that are safe and easy to use. This can be challenging for the variety of species living together in our larger habitats, such as the Window on Washington Waters and Underwater Dome. In those instances, Aquarium aquarists use their understanding of animal behavior and feeding preferences to provide the best environment possible.

How does care evolve over time for marine mammals at the Aquarium? As these species begin to reach—and exceed—their chronological life expectancy in the wild, animal care staff may begin to adjust how they work with them. For instance, as mammals age, their risk of contracting several age-related eye diseases (such as cataracts and macular degeneration) increases, just as it does in aging humans. If visual acuity (or keenness of perception) is reduced, the Aquarium’s animal care specialists introduce more verbal and tactile cues, such as gently brushing past their whiskers. Arthritis (also known as degenerative joint disease) is also common in all mammals as they age. Just as it does for humans, management may include anti-inflammatories, joint supplements, diet modifications and adapting the environment to meet the mobility needs of the individual.

Providing the very best care and quality of life for the animals entrusted to us—at all stages of their lives—is a vital part of our mission, Inspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment. Learn more about animals at the Aquarium on our website or, better yet, plan a visit with us soon!

FareWHALE to the 2024 legislative session: Marine critters give us this session’s poli-sea updates

Posted on March 14, 2024March 14, 2024 by Joseph Becker

The short 2024 Washington legislative session has ended. We could tell you about how the Seattle Aquarium worked with our partners on multiple bills to protect the ocean and advance environmental justice. But we’d rather bring you an extra special edition of the post-session report and go live with marine animals who share their “poli-SEA” updates.

What was your favorite bill from this legislative session?

Giant Pacific octopus: Unlike me, this one’s a no-brainer. House Bill 1153, which prohibits commercial octopus farming in Washington waters, passed. And I’m as happy as a clam, as humans say. Like other octopuses (and apparently human teenagers), I like my alone time and need things to keep my brain active, so being in a crowded aquaculture operation would be hard on me. There are no octopus farms in Washington waters currently, and the state legislature took proactive measures to help keep me and my fellow octopuses safe in the future.

Humpback whale: Did you know that scientists have discovered that saving whales like me could help sequester more carbon dioxide? Whales, especially large whales like me, help with the natural carbon cycle. Our high-nutrient feces help algae and other primary producers. And when we die and sink to the bottom, we take stored carbon with us. Yep, that’s right. We whales have been helping to cycle carbon for…well…a long time. That’s why I’m a fan of House Bill 1368, which transitions Washington’s school bus fleet from diesel to zero emissions. The state’s school buses currently generate about 150,000 metric tons of climate pollution. That’s as much weight as me plus 4,200 of my humpback buddies! Reducing emissions from school buses will help kids be more focused and breathe cleaner air.

Can you tell us about any other bills that will help clean up the environment?

Giant Pacific octopus: While I am happy in dark spaces, apparently you humans need to use something called light bulbs for your homes. (Are you afraid of the dark?! Maybe you just need more arms to help you feel your way around…) But the fluorescent thingamabobs you humans use contain mercury, which is incredibly toxic. I’m thrilled that House Bill 1185 was passed to deal with that problem. Since 2009, Washington has had a product stewardship program for the safe disposal of mercury-containing light bulbs called LightRecycle. This bill extends LightRecycle and bans light bulbs that have mercury. It will protect Washingtonians, the environment, and me and my fellow ocean-dwellers.

Any disappointing results from the legislative session?

Sea otter: You might know that we sea otters spend a lot of time cleaning our fur so it keeps us warm, and pollutants like oil make that harder for us. But did you know other pollutants can hurt us internally? PFAS are very long-lasting chemicals that could make me or my pups sick. And they have been linked to harmful health impacts on humans as well. Not to mention they can be toxic to my prey, making it dangerous to feed my family our favorite invertebrates, like mussels and crabs. Senate Bill 6163, addressing PFAS in biosolids, would have helped prevent these toxins from contaminating the waters we call home. If it had passed, it would have established a system to monitor the presence of PFAS in municipal sewage waste produced at wastewater treatment facilities. These biosolids are often spread on farms or in forests, and the runoff can contaminate the environment, including the streams where salmon swim and ocean waters where I hunt and forage. Making sure biosolids have lower levels of toxic chemicals is very important. This bill “otter” pass next year!

Would you like to highlight anything else the Seattle Aquarium is still working on?

Sea turtle: When I’m hungry, sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between my food and plastic litter! Plastic bags look a lot like jellyfish. Then there’s all the plastic on the beaches where I lay my eggs. Yuck! So, I’m pleased that the Seattle Aquarium and its partners in the Plastic Free Washington Coalition are going to keep working to pass the ReWRAP Act (House Bill 2049). While the bill ran out of time in this short session, my friends on the Aquarium policy team and their partners are in a “turtle-y” great place for the next session. Together, they’ll make sure Washington can upgrade recycling services through a producer responsibility program for packaging. They’re working toward reducing waste and my—and my fellow sea turtles’—chances of eating plastic. This bill will also address climate change by incentivizing companies to switch to more sustainable packaging alternatives, including reusable options. That’ll help reduce plastic production in the first place. Plastic is made from fossil fuels, and the production process results in a lot of nasty pollutants that no one—human or turtle—wants. I’m confident the ReWRAP Act will pass next year and look forward to shell-ebrating!

Salmon: The Seattle Aquarium also supported efforts to pass a bill that would allow local elections to take place in even-numbered years (House Bill 1932). Like our salmon journey upstream, where we face great obstacles, there are often barriers for voters too. Voter turnout has been proven to be higher in even years, when national elections take place. Allowing local elections in those years would help ensure they reflect the diversity of the broader population. Plus, national and local elections are both important to elect people who will help pass laws that will better protect the marine environment. I vote for HB 1932 to be put on the legislature’s priority list for next year!

Any last words or requests for your fans here on land?

Salmon: People who care about climate change, pollution and the recovery of animals like me should make sure they are registered to vote before the next election! I encourage everyone to swim on over to votefortheocean.org to check your status, register if needed and find other helpful resources.

Humpback whale: If you’d like to find other ways to support the Seattle Aquarium’s policy work and be an advocate for ocean animals like us, head over to the Act for the Ocean page!

Watch our care team welcome a critically endangered bowmouth guitarfish in need of a safe home

Posted on February 26, 2024February 23, 2024 by Emma Leiser

It’s difficult to describe a bowmouth guitarfish. It’s even harder to see one in the wild.

The bowmouth guitarfish (Rhina ancylostomus) has been in its current form for millions of years—and it shows. These prehistoric-looking, blueish-grey fish appear to be part ray, part shark and even part dinosaur. They sport gills on their undersides, a telltale sign that they are, in fact, rays.

Elusive and endangered

Though they live close to shore, sightings are rare. The bowmouth guitarfish is classified as “Critically Endangered” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species®, meaning they have an extremely high risk of extinction.

Earlier this year, the Seattle Aquarium had an unexpected opportunity to provide a safe home to a bowmouth guitarfish pup. And next summer, visitors to the Aquarium’s new Ocean Pavilion will have the chance to be part of her surprising story.

And then there were nine!

The pup’s mother was caught in a commercial fishing set net off the east coast of Taiwan. What happened next surprised everyone: while in a holding pool at the fishing center, the mother gave birth to nine live pups.

Our conservation partner in Taiwan, Fred Fan of Fred Fan Aquatics, quickly diverted the animals to a safe place. He then contacted the Seattle Aquarium to work on finding them a long-term home. There are no marine-protected areas where the mother was caught, and fishing for bowmouth guitarfish is legal throughout many regions of Asia. As a result, releasing the mother and pups would have put them at risk of getting caught in another net.

Pups provide hope

The existence of nine bowmouth guitarfish pups in one place felt both miraculous and daunting.

Fan and the Seattle Aquarium contacted additional conservation partners in the region and North America, knowing that accredited aquariums have animal care and species recovery expertise.

Late one night in January 2023, the pups—donated by Fan—arrived from Taiwan to the Seattle Aquarium’s offsite Animal Care Center. There, eight pups would quarantine and receive care for several weeks before moving to teams at the Georgia Aquarium, Shedd Aquarium and Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment. And one female pup would remain in Seattle.

No time to waste

Globally, around 400 species of elasmobranchs—sharks and rays—are threatened, largely due to overfishing. In fact, an estimated 100 million individual sharks are killed by people every year. Fishing records for bowmouth guitarfish suggest we’ve lost more than 80 percent of the species in recent years.

Meanwhile, accredited aquariums have been caring for bowmouth guitarfish since 2005. In 2014, a bowmouth guitarfish pup was born in an aquarium for the first time.

We’re still learning about these solitary, elusive fish. We know that they live in relatively shallow, coastal waters, where they stay close to sandy bottoms. They like to crunch on the crustaceans and mollusks they find on the ocean floor. (The bowmouth guitarfish who will live at the Aquarium’s new Ocean Pavilion eats restaurant-quality, sustainably sourced lobster, shrimp and bony fish.)

Though bowmouth guitarfish are rare, they are also wide-ranging. They’re found in coastal areas throughout the Indo-West Pacific, including from South Africa north to the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, north to Japan and south to Australia. This range provides the chance for many communities and people to be part of the effort to restore their numbers.

Sharing knowledge is key

In November 2023, Fred Fan, aquariums from across the world, academic partners and conservation leaders met at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago to discuss the role aquariums can play in preventing bowmouth guitarfish from going extinct, as well as the structure and development of programs to aid in their recovery.

Restoring wild populations requires trust, partnership, expertise, genetic diversity of the species and time—the least available resource a critically endangered species has. Even so, there’s hope and a highly committed team of marine scientists, researchers and care experts working on these plans.

Beginning next summer, when you visit the Ocean Pavilion, you’ll meet the bowmouth guitarfish in our care and learn how you can join efforts to advocate for the survival of this ancient, fascinating species.

“Like human nurses—but in the veterinary field:” All about vet techs at the Seattle Aquarium

Posted on February 23, 2024April 11, 2024 by Emma Leiser

This story is part of our series, The Doctor Is In—highlighting our veterinary team’s expertise in service of animal wellbeing.

Veterinary technicians—or vet techs—are an integral part of the veterinary care team here at the Seattle Aquarium. But what does it mean to be a vet tech, and what kinds of education and experience are needed to work as a vet tech in an aquarium setting? Lindy McMorran, BS LVT Cert AqVN /T, and Erika Russ Paz, BS LVT, recently sat down with us to share some details.

First things first: What's a veterinary technician?

“It’s like a human nurse—but in the veterinary field,” explains Lindy. Similar to a nurse in a clinic or hospital, Lindy and Erika might spend a typical day at the Aquarium running anesthesia during a procedure, dispensing medications, taking x-rays, maintaining supplies and equipment for the Aquarium’s Veterinary Care Center and scheduling exams. They may also be found working with animal care staff to train behaviors that help with animal care, such as the ability to give an injection or take a blood sample with an animal’s cooperation.

Both women have Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees—Lindy’s in marine biology; Erika’s in marine science with a minor in biology—and licensed veterinary technician (LVT) credentials. Earning the credential requires about two years of full-time studies, followed by a national exam and state test. (Details, including alternative criteria, can be found on the Washington State Department of Health website.)

Most vet techs go on to work at the kind of veterinary clinic where you might take a pet dog or cat, so the curriculum focuses on their care. Although much of the core training applies to animals of all kinds, “there was no training that was specific to aquatic animals,” notes Lindy.

For vet techs in aquarium settings, that’s where hands-on experience, internships and/or additional courses—not to mention a passion for the marine environment—come in.

Says Erika, describing highlights of the path that brought to her to the Aquarium, “I worked as an educator and marine science camp counselor at an aquarium during college. I also interned at an aquarium and as a wildlife rehabilitator. And, after graduation, I spent time as an observer in Alaska, collecting data to help manage our fisheries. I worked with PAWS, caring for a wide variety of species from the Pacific Northwest, as well. ”

That’s in addition to seven years in a general veterinary practice before joining our team early this year. “A background in marine science and biology, along with a passion for the ocean and care of animals, ultimately led me to the Aquarium,” Erika comments.

Specialties: Not just for human nurses

“Human nurses can have specialties, like oncology or pediatrics. Veterinarians can have those same kinds of specialties,” Lindy says. “But for vet techs, specialties are less common.”

Like Erika, Lindy augmented her schooling by working with marine animals—for example, as a volunteer for SR3, a local organization focused on marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation, and here at the Seattle Aquarium. She’s been focused on aquatic animals since 2007: as an intern, a lab assistant, an instructor and more.

Through her years of specific experience with aquatic animals, Lindy recently earned a new credential, Certified Aquatic Veterinary Technician, from the World Aquarium Veterinary Medical Association (WAVMA). She’s just the second person in the continental United States to achieve the certification, which became available from WAVMA at the beginning of 2023, joining select others from around the world.

Put simply, the new credential recognizes Lindy’s expertise with marine animals. “It’s one of the only ways a vet tech in the aquarium field can prove their experience,” she notes. “For instance, there is no board certification specialty for vet techs in aquatic medicine, but there is one for zoos.”

Broad experience + passion = a well-rounded, expert team

“Growing our veterinary team and seeking people with diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise helps ensure that each animal receives the individual care they need, which benefits their wellbeing,” comments Lindy.

That adaptability, always important, is even more so as the Aquarium expands with the opening of the new Ocean Pavilion this summer. Interested in learning more about veterinary care at the Seattle Aquarium? Check out our web story devoted to the full team.

The doctors (and techs) are in: Getting to know the Seattle Aquarium’s veterinary care team

Posted on February 20, 2024April 11, 2024 by Emma Leiser

This story is part of our series, The Doctor Is In—highlighting our veterinary team’s expertise in service of animal wellbeing.

Providing medical care for the animals at the Seattle Aquarium—soon to be nearly 18,000 with the opening of the Ocean Pavilion!—is far from a one-person endeavor. Working to provide excellent animal health and wellbeing requires skill and expertise from a well-rounded veterinary team, one that is required to be available any time of the day or night, every day of the year.

The Seattle Aquarium’s veterinary care team is currently composed of six people:

Two full-time veterinarians—Our director of animal health and team leader, Dr. Caitlin Hadfield, MA VetMB MRCVS DiplAZCM DiplECZM and Dr. Sasha Troiano, DVM MS CertAqV;
Two relief veterinarians, who are available to step in when our staff veterinarians are unavailable and/or extra support is needed—Dr. Brian Joseph, DVM MFAS CertAqV and Dr. Alicia McLaughlin, DVM CertAqV; and
Two veterinary technicians*—Lindy McMorran, BS LVT Cert AqVN/T and Erika Russ Paz, BS LVT.

*Not sure what a veterinary technician is? Be on the lookout for our upcoming web story, in which we’ll introduce you to Lindy and Erika and share some highlights of what they do—as well as details about a prestigious new credential that Lindy recently earned!

Initials = hard-earned credentials

Did you happen to take in the initials following our vet team’s names? They’re credentials—each one representing extensive education and certification.

For instance, staff vet Dr. Sasha Troiano and relief vets Dr. Brian Joseph and Alicia McLaughlin have doctorates of veterinary medicine, or DVMs. The three also have certified aquatic veterinarian (CertAqV) credentials from the World Aquatic Veterinary Medicine Association (WAVMA), indicating their extensive experience working with aquatic animals. In addition, Dr. Troiano has a Master of Science (MS) degree; Dr. Joseph has a Masters of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (MFAS) degree.

Lindy McMorran and Erika Russ Paz have Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees—marine biology for Lindy; marine science with a minor in biology for Erika—and licensed veterinary technician (LVT) credentials. In addition, Lindy recently received a certified aquatic veterinary nurse/technician (CertAqVN/T) credential from WAVMA—more on that in our upcoming web story!

As for Dr. Hadfield’s credentials, we’ll let her explain them in her own words:

MA: “I did a bachelor’s degree in zoology that included a master’s.”
VetMB: “Then I did my vet degree, which goes by those initials at University of Cambridge —the initials vary a bit by school.”
MRCVS: “That means I’m in good standing as a member of the United Kingdom’s Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. It’s an odd requirement from England!”
DiplACZM: “These letters are for board certification. This was my first one, with the American College of Zoological Medicine—that’s what the ‘ACZM’ is for. Qualifying to take the exam requires years of clinical experience and publications. That’s followed by a challenging exam—in my case, I specialized in aquatics for my second day of exams, while day one had everything from red-eyed tree frogs to rhinos.”
DiplECZM: “I was also able to get certified with the European College of Zoological Medicine—the ‘ECZM’ in the title—and become a ‘diplomate’ of that group.”

Benefitting animal wellbeing beyond the Aquarium's walls

Members of the Aquarium’s veterinary, water quality and animal care teams share their expertise with the larger community in many ways—for instance, serving in leadership roles with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (a nonprofit, independent organization that accredits zoos and aquariums, including the Seattle Aquarium, worldwide); helping to rescue and rehabilitate stranded animals; participating in research on wild populations; making presentations; collaborating on and authoring papers and articles—and even co-authoring an entire textbook on fish medicine.

That’s right: On top of her regular duties, Dr. Caitlin Hadfield found time to co-author the 624-page Clinical Guide to Fish Medicine. Written for vets, vet techs, biologists and fish enthusiasts, it’s now required reading for zoological board exams.

What kind of exams are those? “Just like your dentist and knee surgeon have done additional exams to confirm their specialization, there are boards for vets who specialize in zoological medicine or specific types of animals,” Dr. Hadfield explains. “Boards require a lot of extra studying and difficult exams. It’s great to be on the required reading list because it ensures a steady stream of readers! But more importantly, it helps set high standards for health care of fish.”

The book was the first of its kind. “There are textbooks that provide practical information on clinical medicine of domestic species—like dogs and cats—that vets can refer to through the day while at work, but that resource just didn’t exist for fish,” notes Dr. Hadfield. “There are good textbooks on fish, but they are focused on specific aspects of fish medicine or particular diseases and aren’t as useful in a busy clinical setting. So we submitted a proposal to the publisher and they accepted.”

A true team effort

For any team to be successful, each member must bring something different and valuable to the table—and that’s definitely the case at the Seattle Aquarium. “I’m really proud of the team’s diverse skills and how we work together and learn from each other,” comments Dr. Hadfield. “We provide care whenever it’s needed: any time of day or night, any day of the year,” she adds, “so we need a team that can be one voice for animal care and wellbeing, and support the wellbeing of the staff and volunteers we work with. That’s a big task given the variety of species in our care.”

And that variety is increasing in a big way with the opening of the Ocean Pavilion this summer. Interested in a behind-the-scenes look at some of the species you’ll find there—and a chance to see Dr. Hadfield and other Seattle Aquarium team members in action? Check out episode six of our Animal Care Stories series. And if you’re curious about what it takes to become an aquarium vet, dive into this great conversation with Dr. Hadfield!

Quiz: Who is your SEAlebrity crush?

Posted on February 13, 2024February 13, 2024 by Emma Leiser

Youth Ocean Advocates in action: ReWRAP in Olympia

Posted on February 5, 2024February 22, 2024 by Joseph Becker

On January 15, our Youth Ocean Advocates (YOA) traveled to Olympia to show their support for the ReWRAP Act by participating in a constituent lobby day. The Seattle Aquarium collaborated with our Plastic Free Washington Coalition partners to gather nearly 100 Washingtonians to discuss with legislators how this bill will reduce waste and marine plastic pollution by transforming our state’s recycling system.

The ReWRAP Act (HB 2049/SB 6005), sponsored by Rep. Liz Berry and Sen. Liz Lovelett, will comprehensively increase recycling rates, incentivize more sustainable packaging design and ensure that all Washingtonians have access to free curbside recycling. Packaging producers will be financially responsible for the end-of-life costs of their packaging, a policy that other states like Maine, Colorado, Oregon and California have already passed.

Having learned about the intricacies of the bill to prepare to speak with legislators, Ellen, a 17-year-old from West Seattle, believes the bill will “revolutionize recycling in Washington.” For her, “It seems like it will kind of restore hope in the whole initiative of recycling and ideally shift the burden of protecting the environment more to the corporations who are responsible for manufacturing those materials in the first place.”

The lobby day volunteers organized over 70 meetings with state senators and representatives to encourage support for the ReWRAP Act. Together, 16 YOAs attended 12 meetings! Samuel, a 16-year-old from Redmond, found it “really empowering to be able to interact with the people who are helping put this legislation forward within our state and therefore be part of that process as well.”

In meetings with their legislators, YOAs spoke about their personal reasons for wanting ReWRAP to pass. Ellen went to Olympia to share with her legislators that she is “really passionate about ocean conservation and advocacy,” to contextualize how important this bill is to her. In her meetings, Cristina, a 17-year-old from Auburn, spoke about how this bill will make sure everyone has access to recycling services. She said, “A lot of the times in environmental policy, the focus can be put on the consumers when so much of pollution is coming from large corporations, so this really is taking pressure off the consumer or small businesses.”

Though meeting with a representative can seem intimidating, Annabelle, a junior who attends a high school in Seattle, found that “legislators want to hear from you.” She wanted to encourage others to “just be confident in yourself and use your power as a Washington resident.”

After marching across the Washington State Capitol Campus in nearly freezing temperatures, our YOAs and other lobby day participants got to hear from Rep. Berry, an environmental champion who has worked closely with many stakeholders, including the Aquarium, to advance this bill in the House. Representative Berry underscored the importance of youth engagement in policy. Lac, age 15, came away from the day feeling that “what you do does matter in terms of ocean pollution and (young people) are the future of our society.”

The YOAs also attended a House Education Committee hearing, where they got to listen to other young advocates testify on bills related to middle and high school curricula. Claire, a high school senior from Seattle, found it inspiring to hear other kids testify in that hearing “getting to see younger generations involved in this sort of thing is really important and just very exciting to see.”

The YOAs also met with Washington State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti and had a chance to check out the state vault. Sonia, a 17-year-old from Seattle, learned that “there are many different ways to become involved in politics, whether that’s being a treasurer or being a legislator or attending hearings…there are different ways to advocate your message.”

During the Lobby Day lunch speaker series, Athena Burk Bravo, a former Seattle Aquarium YOA, exemplified the different ways young people can reduce plastic pollution. Athena spoke to all the lobby day participants about her work founding a nonprofit called Trash Talk, which educates King County residents about the impact of recycling and pollution.

At the end of the day, Nikki, a 16-year-old YOA from Sammamish, said, “It was just so inspiring being in a big group of people, all really passionate about the same cause. And that really gets me excited to maybe attend more events like this and keep looking into what goes on with the ReWRAP Act.”

Recruitment for the new cohort of Seattle Aquarium Youth Ocean Advocates begins with orientation sessions in March. If you or a high schooler you know wants to participate in advocacy opportunities like this, you can go to the YOA webpage for more information. In the meantime, check out the rest of our 2024 State Legislative Priorities and stay up to date on the ReWRAP Act and other action opportunities by signing up for our policy action alerts!

Biodiversity's importance

Our biodiversity initiatives

Celebrating biodiversity at the Ocean Pavilion

Mindful meals

Change is a good thing!

Keeping an eye out

Even invertebrates need primary care providers

All for one, one for all

Caring for aging animals at the Seattle Aquarium

Evolving care over time

What was your favorite bill from this legislative session?

Can you tell us about any other bills that will help clean up the environment?

Any disappointing results from the legislative session?

Would you like to highlight anything else the Seattle Aquarium is still working on?

Any last words or requests for your fans here on land?

Elusive and endangered

And then there were nine!

Pups provide hope

No time to waste

Sharing knowledge is key

First things first: What's a veterinary technician?

Specialties: Not just for human nurses

Broad experience + passion = a well-rounded, expert team

Initials = hard-earned credentials

Benefitting animal wellbeing beyond the Aquarium's walls

A true team effort

Website maintenance

Cyber Weekend Sale