Page 6 – Seattle Aquarium

Seattle Aquarium welcomes adorable new addition: A tufted puffling!

Posted on August 21, 2023May 9, 2024 by Emma Leiser

The Seattle Aquarium got a little (or a lot) cuter on August 3 when we welcomed a new tufted puffin chick, aka a “puffling!” This fluffball is the first puffling chick to hatch at the Aquarium since 2019.

The doting parents are longtime bonded pair Dora (who wears a yellow band on her left leg) and Boots (who sports red and blue bands). Tufted puffins generally mate for life and raise one chick at a time. Couples share parenting duties, like nest building, egg incubation and feeding their chick.

Like most animals, birds are vulnerable when they are young. Sadly, in the wild, many tufted pufflings don’t survive to adulthood. At the Aquarium, this chick is benefiting from a protected space and top-notch care from both animal and human caretakers. Dora and Boots, along with our dedicated Birds & Mammals team, have been keeping a close watch on the little one.

So far, the chick has a healthy appetite and is doing well. Talk about a tough little puff!

Privacy for the puffling

Dora, Boots and their little one have a nest in a secluded burrow in the upper section of their habitat. The chick will stay out of sight for a while, taking time to grow. Our team expects the puffling to fledge, or leave the burrow and join other members of the habitat, this fall.

In the meantime, Aquarium guests can check out other seabirds—including SEAlebrity tufted puffin Phelps—in the Birds & Shores habitat. You might even catch Dora or Boots gathering fish to bring to the chick or just taking a rest. Parents need breaks too!

To learn more about tufted puffins, aka the “parrots of the sea,” check out their fact page.

P.S. Our Birds and Mammals team is still deciding on a name for the little fuzzball. Keep an eye out on the Aquarium’s social media channels for the name reveal!

How can we stop sharks from going extinct?

Posted on August 15, 2023June 17, 2024 by Emma Leiser

This story is part of our Nerdy Science Series—how we’re using research and technology in service of a healthy ocean.

Sharks have roamed the ocean since before dinosaurs walked the earth. But today, around a third of the world’s 500+ shark species are threatened with extinction. New research co-authored by Riley Pollom of the Seattle Aquarium offers a way forward.

Why are sharks going extinct?

In a word: overfishing. Fishing—legal and illegal—kills around 100 million sharks every year. Sharks are targeted as sources of food and products; they’re also caught as bycatch in the hunt for other species. Because sharks take longer on average than other ocean animals to mature and reproduce, their populations often don’t recover quickly. Sometimes they don’t come back at all.

When shark species go extinct, the loss has a ripple effect. Ocean food webs are delicate, and the disappearance of a major predator can wreak havoc, sometimes causing the populations of other animals in the system to swell or shrink in unpredictable ways. The impact of these big changes often falls on coastal communities who rely on small-scale fishing for food and income. But as we lose species at an unprecedented rate, all of us will be affected.

Aquariums have the knowledge and capacity to play an important role in population management when things get dire. There’s a point of no return, and we need to avoid it.

Riley Pollom, species recovery program manager, Seattle Aquarium

A clue on how to turn the tide

A team of researchers that included Riley analyzed shark populations throughout the Western Atlantic Ocean over decades.

The team’s newest paper, “Conservation successes and challenges for wide-ranging sharks and rays,” focuses on 26 wide-ranging coastal sharks and rays in the Western Atlantic. All are on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. For decades, the Western Atlantic has faced a heavy demand for fishing. And sharks there have suffered, often as bycatch in the industry.

But—as the research team found—sharks in the Northwest and Western Central Atlantic are now making a comeback. In fact, some species that were on the verge of collapse in the 1980s and 1990s are now at stable or even growing populations.

Meanwhile, the situation is very different in the Southwest Atlantic. There, almost all populations of shark species—including many of the same species that are recovering in other regions—are still in trouble.

What’s fueled the difference? The answer, researchers found, is strong fisheries management.

Fisheries management refers to setting, enforcing and monitoring strict limits on how many animals can be caught, where and when they can be caught, and other important rules. Where these practices are robust, like the Northwest and Western Central Atlantic, shark and ray populations are rebounding. Where they are weak or nonexistent, many species are on the verge of extinction or heading that way.

“If strong fisheries management measures are implemented elsewhere, we would expect to see similar recovery,” Riley says.

Avoiding the extinction vortex

As the new research shows, protective measures work. But in some cases, those measures aren’t enough.

In a situation that conservationists call the “extinction vortex,” the population of an endangered species drops so low that even if other threats are removed, the species will not recover and may still go extinct. That’s because when populations are small enough, males and females have trouble finding each other. Those that do risk inbreeding, introducing genetic defects and weakening fitness.

In some cases, direct intervention by people might be the only way to avoid the extinction vortex. Increasingly, aquariums are getting involved in this work.

In 2020, the Seattle Aquarium helped launch ReShark—a global collective to recover threatened shark and ray species. ReShark’s first project is to breed and release Indo-Pacific leopard sharks, which have all but vanished from their home waters off the coast of Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Projects like this are still novel for aquariums—but so far, ReShark has had early success rearing shark eggs born in aquariums for release into their marine-protected home waters. (Read National Geographic’s coverage.)

As species recovery program manager, Riley is helping to lead the Aquarium’s growing programs and partnerships to bring back threatened species in Washington State and internationally.

What can individuals do?

Wherever you live, “Vote with the ocean in mind,” Riley says. “Learn and understand politicians’ stances on ocean policies and fisheries management policies.” When we’re informed, we can advocate for setting and enforcing strong fisheries management. Join the Aquarium’s email list to receive alerts on how you can support our state and federal advocacy on behalf of the ocean.

Hawai’i is facing more marine heatwaves. What does that mean for its fish?

Posted on July 28, 2023June 17, 2024 by Emma Leiser

This story is part of our Nerdy Science Series—how we’re using research and technology in service of a healthy ocean.

During 2014, a mass of warm water nicknamed “the blob” simmered and spread in the Pacific Ocean. It lingered until early 2016, wreaking havoc on marine ecosystems and causing a mass coral bleaching event in Hawaiʻi’. Then in 2019, another marine heat wave struck Hawaiʻi, reminiscent of the blob. Smaller heatwaves have followed.

Seattle Aquarium research technician Amy Olsen was born and raised on Hawaiʻi’s Big Island. Rising ocean temperatures, which most scientists attribute to climate change, are transforming her home. Today, as a marine scientist for the Aquarium, Amy is leading scientific papers that analyze how those changes are affecting fish populations off the Big Island’s coast.

"By 2025, marine heatwaves are likely to occur every year. There is an urgent need to see what’s happening now and how we can anticipate and mitigate those changes."

Amy Olsen, research technician, Seattle Aquarium

Working Far Beyond our Walls

For nearly 40 years, Hawaiʻi ecosystems have been part of the Seattle Aquarium experience. If you’ve visited the Aquarium, you’ve likely marveled at Pacific Coral Reef, a lush community of corals, puffers, tangs, wrasses and other members of tropical reefs.

But what isn’t visible to Aquarium visitors is the scientific research that takes place outside its walls. Since 2009, Aquarium researchers have traveled to Hawaiʻi and donned scuba gear to track fish populations in eight locations off the west coast of the Big Island.

Their goal: to provide long-term data on the health of fish populations.

Connecting Research and Home

“This research is a way to give back to the place where I was raised,” Amy says.

She joined the Aquarium’s Hawaiʻi research team in 2014, the same year the blob struck. She later decided to focus her master’s thesis on how marine heat waves affected groups of fish, using Aquarium data gathered between 2009 and 2019.

Amy works closely with Dr. Shawn Larson, senior conservation research manager—who launched the Aquarium’s Hawaiʻi research—and a multidisciplinary Aquarium team that includes conservation researchers, dive experts and scientists who specialize in fish and invertebrates.

The team uses a unique method to measure fish populations each year. It’s the same method we’ve used to monitor local Salish Sea fish populations for decades. Researchers dive along defined 100-meter sections (transects) of the ocean while wearing underwater cameras. As they swim along a transect, they speak into a microphone, narrating the species and number of fish in their line of sight and creating a recording that can be analyzed later. The team uses GPS coordinates and visual notes to return to the same spots year after year without leaving behind physical markers that could impact marine life.

This method proved so efficient in the Aquarium’s Hawaiʻi research—where divers often had more than 100 species in sight—that the team published a special methods paper to share it with other researchers.

Troubled Findings and a Call to Action

Amy’s thesis—published in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series last year—analyzed changes in different subgroups of fish following the heatwaves.

The groups included predators, “secondary consumers” (typically small fish that eat other fish or plants), planktivores (animals that eat plankton), corallivores (animals that eat coral), browsers (which eat algae), grazers (which eat short, fibrous turf algae) and scrapers (which effectively clear algae from corals). Why so many groups? Each plays a unique role in their delicate food web.

The research showed that after the 2014–2015 heat wave, fish populations in all groups increased. The group that grew the most were the grazers, tiny fish that eat turf algae.

“One hypothesis is that the heat wave encouraged more algae to grow,” Amy explains. “Fish that graze on it did well because they had more food.”

But any change to ocean food webs is complex. The same warming events that benefitted fish are devastating coral. The breakdown of coral will mean less food for the creatures that eat coral and fewer hiding spots for larger fish. The bottom line: Pulling a thread in ocean food webs can unravel the entire sweater.

My goal is that our scientific partners use this research to inform decision-making and policy. For individuals, I hope it encourages curiosity, behavior change and hope—because our actions do make a difference.

Amy Olsen, research technician, Seattle Aquarium

What can individuals do to help slow marine heatwaves and protect reefs?

A lot, Amy says. One simple action is to use reef-safe sunscreen, whether we’re swimming in Pacific Northwest or tropical waters. Coral reefs exist in both. With this small step, we can do less harm to wild populations of coral, which are already stressed.

Climate change remains one of the biggest challenges we and the ocean face. Shifting our day-to-day habits—from how much we drive to what we eat—matters. So does large-scale policy change. The Aquarium advocates for policies that address climate change and protect our ocean. Get involved by learning more and signing up for Seattle Aquarium action alerts.

The Spilhaus Projection: “The seven seas” become one ocean

Posted on July 20, 2023February 9, 2024 by Emma Leiser

Have you ever noticed how a step to the left or a turn to the right changes your view entirely? Perhaps that’s what inspired South African-American geophysicist and oceanographer Dr. Athelstan F. Spilhaus to develop a seawater-focused map of Earth, centered on Antarctica. The Spilhaus Projection of 1942 provides a way for us to see the world ocean as it is: one big, contiguous body of seawater.

This timely “new” perspective is at the center of an exciting and thought-provoking installation at the Seattle Aquarium. Find it near our Life on the Edge habitat!

A Revolutionary Map Evolves

Decades after it was created, the Spilhaus Projection remains a vital tool. It’s been digitized and is now open-source data that can be used to map sea surface temperatures, cool and warm currents, hydrothermal ecosystems, ocean health indices, whale migration and more.

99 PERCENT OF EARTH’S LIVING ORGANISMS LIVE IN THE OCEAN

That’s quite a neighborhood! Earth’s one ocean hosts most living organisms in 71 percent of the planet’s living space. It’s home to the phytoplankton that produce 50–80% of the oxygen we breathe. It feeds its residents and people, affects weather and climate, and annually sequesters about a quarter of carbon dioxide resulting from human activities. And whatever happens on land—plastics pollution, wastewater runoff, acidification—drains into local waters and then ripples through the entire ocean.

ONE-PERCENTERS (US) STRIVING TO BE SEA-WORTHY NEIGHBORS

The Spilhaus Projection at the Seattle Aquarium maps what was once called “the Seven Seas*” as a single body of seawater, vast and unbroken. This mind-expanding perspective on the amazing life-support system of our blue planet shows the importance of restoring and protecting the ocean for the sake of all living things.

*Extra-credit fast facts: The phrase “Seven Seas” originated in ancient Greek literature and referred to the Aegean, Adriatic, Black, Caspian, Mediterranean and Red seas—with the Persian Gulf included as a “sea” as well. As trade routes expanded, it came to mean the Arctic, Indian, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Pacific, South Pacific and Southern oceans. Which, of course, are all connected as Earth’s one ocean!

SHARED WATERS, SHARED CHALLENGES—AND SHARED SOLUTIONS!

The Seattle Aquarium’s mission, Inspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment, begins at home in the Puget Sound region with educational programs, conservation research and policy advocacy. Our initiatives reach from the Salish Sea to the Coral Triangle.

When you visit the Aquarium, check the Spilhaus map to find the Coral Triangle, where we’re partnering to restore the Indo-Pacific leopard shark (Stegostoma tigrinum) population. This international collective, called ReShark, is one example of our species recovery program work.

Sturgeon, tufted puffins and dwarf cuttlefish: They’re just like us!

Posted on June 29, 2023February 9, 2024 by Emma Leiser

Do you know someone who’s full of surprises—and just when you think you’ve got them figured out, they do something entirely unexpected? Our summer SEAlebrities are like that, too! They’re not always what they seem to be, so look closely. Some change colors, others are showy birds that swim like fish. Check them out on your next visit to the Seattle Aquarium!

White sturgeon: fish with an identity crisis?

One glance at their long bodies, pointy snouts and dorsal fins and you might ask, “Who let the sharks in?” Often mistaken for sharks, white sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus, are bottom-dwelling fish that live in the temperate waters of the Pacific Coast from Alaska to upper Baja California.

HOW ARE STURGEON JUST LIKE US?

They have what it takes to protect themselves.

Like sharks, sturgeon have been around since the time of the dinosaurs. They have smooth skin and a skeleton made of cartilaginous scutes, not bone. Reminiscent of scales, the rows of scutes protect the sturgeon’s vital internal organs. Unlike sharks (or us), sturgeon have no teeth. Smile!

They like to lay low and feel things out.

Sturgeon hover over sandy floors of the ocean and estuaries to forage for food with their barbels—long, whisker-like feelers above their mouths. They drag their barbels along the bottom, searching for shellfish, invertebrates (animals with no backbone) and small fish, then suck their prey into their mouths and swallow it whole.

Can you spot a sturgeon? Test your observation skills at our Underwater Dome habitat.

Tufted puffins: parrots of the sea

Tufted puffins, Fratercula cirrhata, spend summers in remote island colonies and winters on the open sea. These diving birds (alcids) seem to fly through water as easily as air. Yet their webbed feet are also used to burrow into cliffs or slopes where they will build nests safely hidden from predators and food-snatching gulls.

HOW ARE TUFTED PUFFINS JUST LIKE US?

They dress for the season.

In summer, tufted puffins shed their dull winter feathers and bill coverings for a more colorful look. Legs and feet turn bright orange. An ornamental bill plate appears. Golden tufts accent a white “face mask.” That’s how they gain a mate—and the nickname “parrots of the sea.”

They search for love that lasts a lifetime.

Once they’re dressed to impress, courtship begins. Tufted puffins rub bills, strut and “skypoint” (pose with bills thrust upward, wings and tail raised). Couples then find a suitable spot for a home, dig a burrow, build a nest and take turns incubating their single egg. Bonded couples often form lifetime partnerships and return to the same area each year.

What are the tufted puffins wearing today? Check them out in our Birds & Shores habitat. (Phelps will be sporting an orange band on his right leg.)

Dwarf cuttlefish: now you see them, now you don't

Dwarf cuttlefish, Sepia bandensis, are native to coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific region. Cousins to squids, octopuses and nautiluses, these tiny cephalopods have keen brains, three hearts and excellent vision that’s essential for hunting. They are often called “chameleons of the sea” for their skill at quick-change camouflage.

HOW ARE DWARF CUTTLEFISH JUST LIKE US?

They know when to fade into the background—and when it’s time to be seen.

Their small size makes dwarf cuttlefish easy prey, but their ability to quickly change color, skin texture and pattern makes them harder to spot. Conversely, a hungry cuttlefish disguised as a rock will find it much easier to sneak up on their next meal. And sometimes, male cuttlefish display female colors to get past bigger, stronger suitors.

They like to go out for a stroll.

Dwarf cuttlefish have eight arms encircling their mouth. They often appear to “walk” along the ocean floor using two of their eight arms. When a tasty morsel appears, their arms open quickly and two feeding tentacles shoot out, grabbing the prey and pulling it toward the cuttlefish’s beak and mouth.

See Cuttle Puddle and the other dwarf cuttlefish in action in our Pacific Coral Reef habitat!

Just like us, all of our SEAlebrities need healthy habitats to thrive. The threats to their homes are largely manmade. Find out what you can do to preserve the marine environment they—and we—depend on. Visit our Act for the Ocean page to learn more.

Mighty mangroves are coming to the Ocean Pavilion

Posted on June 26, 2023February 9, 2024 by Emma Leiser

At the Seattle Aquarium, you’ve connected with fascinating SEAlebrities—sea otters, tufted puffins and dogfish, to name a few. But TREElebrities? Not so much. That will change when the Ocean Pavilion opens next summer. In a habitat called The Archipelago, you’ll discover live mangrove trees and the ecosystems mangroves support in the Coral Triangle.

Meet the Treelebrities

Mangroves live in the Coral Triangle and other tropical and subtropical regions of the world. These highly adaptive trees thrive where most plants cannot—in hot, salty, muddy water. Mighty mangroves help protect animals, coastal communities and the planet. You could say that they’re ecosystem superheroes.

Colossal carbon sinks, drawn illustration of mangroves in a wetlands habitat, the roots of the mangrove trees extending into the water. Three monkeys sit in the branches of the mangrove trees while a stork wades through the water. — Too much carbon in the air is warming Earth. Mangroves fight this trend by storing carbon from the air in their wood and in soil held by their roots.

Heroic home-makers, drawn illustration of mangrove tree roots as seen from under the water. Different species of fish swim among the mangrove roots, which provide a safe habitat for fish and other animals. — Mangroves’ roots work like the bars of a crib to shelter young fishes. Above, branches make space for monkeys, birds and other land animals.

Coastal Crusaders, drawn illustration of a mangrove forest as seen from above, highlighting the unique habitats mangroves help create. — Nestled where land meets water, mangroves trap soil in their roots, creating new land. They also prevent erosion, filter pollutants and blunt big waves.

Economic Engines, drawn illustration of schools of fish swimming underwater through mangrove tree roots, the bottom of a small paddle boat visible on the surface of the water. — Mangroves provide medicines, timber, food and more, supporting livelihoods for people in coastal areas.

As mighty as they are, mangrove forests—like forests around the world—are shrinking due to human development and pollution. According to the United Nations, up to two thirds of coastal mangroves have been lost to date. As mangroves vanish, the species that rely on them—including us—have fewer defenses against climate change. By working together, we can change this story.

At the Ocean Pavilion, you’ll witness the role mangroves play in Coral Triangle ecosystems and learn how we can work together to protect wild populations.

Watch our team welcome mangroves and bluespotted rays

Our dedicated animal care team knows all about fish. Now that mangroves have arrived at our offsite Animal Care Center, the team is learning the joys of botany. Why? Because mangroves create the conditions many animals—including bluespotted rays—depend on.

In episodes 4 and 5 of Animal Care Stories, watch our team begin to build a shared habitat for mangroves and their “roommates”—bluespotted rays.

Which southern resident orca are you most like? Take our quiz to find out!

Posted on June 8, 2023February 9, 2024 by Emma Leiser

Finding empathy in “barnacle moments”

Posted on May 30, 2023February 9, 2024 by Emma Leiser

Fulfilling our mission of Inspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment often starts with facilitating stronger bonds between animals and people. As it turns out, a very human emotion may be the key to better connections.

When we humans notice animals and learn about their needs, we begin to care about the quality of their lives. That feeling comes from empathy—the ability and capacity to understand the experiences of other beings. It’s a skill everyone can learn, and research shows empathy inspires us to take better care of animals.

SHARING THE CARING

Did you know that the Seattle Aquarium conducts empathy workshops for educators and members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)? At these popular workshops, attendees learn the importance of empathy in creating guest experiences that can change the lives of animals and people.

ALL HANDS ON DECO!

The Seattle Aquarium then founded Developing Empathy for Conservation Outcomes (DECO), a biannual conference where professionals from zoos, aquariums, nature centers and museums brainstorm ideas, share information and elevate best practices.

The first DECO conference was wide-ranging, thought-provoking, collaborative and chock-full of ideas. Last fall’s DECO conference turned to putting theories into action. Six working groups were formed to develop and test innovative ways to weave empathic thinking into everything zoos and aquariums do.

FROM QUESTIONS TO ANSWERS, ACTIONS TO RESULTS

Today, these groups are in the process of identifying what to investigate. For example, do experiences with touchable biofacts (such as bones, teeth, pelts and fur) stir empathy? What inspires guests to feel kinship with arthropods and invertebrates (creatures with no backbone)? What are the best ways to engage all our neighbor communities in exploring animals at Seattle Aquarium? How can we better communicate the value of empathy and conservation action?

The working group on imaginative play is already observing how the Seattle Aquarium’s new Caring Cove figures in a child’s perspective-taking and exploring narratives that strengthen a connection with animals.

Perspective-taking in Caring Cove begins with asking questions: ‘What does my animal need? How can I provide for those needs?’ and ‘How does this care help my animal and its wellbeing?'

Nicole Starr Killebrew, interpretation coordinator

Another working group is focused on ways to help guests care for less-charismatic creatures. People are accustomed to reading other people’s faces. What would spark guests’ curiosity about “animals without faces”? After all, barnacles, sea cucumbers, jellies and anemones need love too.

Once, we thought information was enough to move people to act, but they need to feel something, too. Now we understand that, while there’s a lot to share about animals and the natural world, there’s so much to learn. The work to foster empathy for wildlife and inspire conservation among our audiences now comes from a place of humility, empathy and learning from the people and communities we serve.

Sarah Brenkert, principal evaluator

DISCOVER YOUR “BARNACLE MOMENT” AT THE SEATTLE AQUARIUM!

How do people get hooked on marine life? Often it’s the moment something they thought was a rock or crusty growth turned out to be a living animal. That’s a “barnacle moment”—and a big step toward empathy.

Describing her own such moment, Interpretation Training Coordinator Cari Garand says, “It was seeing the amazing barnacle at the beach! I was fascinated to learn they live upside down in a home they built, doing headstands while eating with their legs. The complexity of a seemingly simple creature catapulted me into a lifetime of marine education and conservation.”

For more information about empathy workshops, visit our webpage. Or stay in the current with our Empathy Café web chats. And plan a visit to the Aquarium soon!

Welcoming a new cohort of Empathy Fellows

Posted on May 18, 2023August 26, 2024 by Emma Leiser

Launched in 2020, the Aquarium’s Empathy Fellowship program is designed to create pathways into careers in aquariums, zoos and the conservation field for communities of color and other marginalized communities that bear the brunt of environmental harm and historically haven’t reaped the benefits of the solutions proposed.

Throughout their one-year terms, individuals hired for these full-time, paid, fully benefited positions have opportunities to learn about local marine life and conservation efforts, develop personal and professional goals, and become effective educators, facilitators and advocates for marine conservation, empathy and their communities.

We recently welcomed the program’s third cohort: Lauren Canto, Maddy Laoprasert, Joey Ruggiero-Diehl and Cave T.

“When I came across this fellowship, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to combine my two passions: diversity, equity and inclusion, and marine science.”

As a child growing up in Seattle, Lauren Canto spent hours on the beach looking at tide pools, captivated by the plants and animals within. Her passion for conservation continued throughout college and she graduated with a B.S. in ecology and conservation biology, with a minor in wildlife resources, in 2022.

“During my time at university, I struggled with my identity and had to work hard to find a place where I fit in,” she comments. “I ended up joining the Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Club and the UNITY multicultural executive board, where I dove deeper into my passion for social justice and had the privilege to learn from others’ perspectives.” She continues, “Throughout this fellowship, I’m hoping to create a welcoming space for all people and inspire others from diverse backgrounds to become change-makers in this field!”

“What excites me most about this fellowship is the opportunity to meaningfully connect with diverse communities by sharing space and striving for mutual understanding.”

A childhood spent exploring the mountains, forests and prairies of Colorado sparked Maddy Laoprasert’s love for the environment. Meanwhile, growing up in a Thai household within a predominantly white area, she—along with and her family—often faced prejudice and marginalization. These experiences continue to motivate her to advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging for herself and others in her communities.

“The Empathy Fellowship combines several of my passions: environmental conservation, informal education, community-building and social justice—through an empathy lens,” she notes, adding, “I’m grateful that the fellowship allows us to center and amplify our own communities’ voices within this field.”

“I want to learn about the ways in which I can uplift and empower the local LGBTQ+ community, particularly trans people.”

Joey Ruggiero-Diehl previously worked with the Aquarium as a marine science instructor and was inspired to apply for the Empathy Fellowship program because of the opportunity to apply their degree in secondary science education and incorporate their passion for social justice.

“I believe that social equity and environmental justice are in many ways one and the same,” Joey comments. “The fellowship will allow me to combine these passions by developing programming that incorporates empathy, cultural responsiveness and social-emotional learning.” They add, “It will also give me an opportunity to work with my own community. I hope I can engage my community by encouraging curiosity about marine science and the connections we have with the natural world.”

“I’m thrilled to merge my many passions—including conservation, education, community-building, and gender and racial justice in my position as an empathy fellow.”

Cave T. grew up in the Pacific Northwest and became interested in marine conservation and education through experiencing firsthand the disproportionate impacts of environmental issues in their communities.

“I have a non-traditional background, opting out of pursuing higher education,” they comment. “I believe there is much knowledge and wisdom to gain from the world around us.” Cave’s many interests include music, cooking, creating art and organizing within their community. “Without their love and support, I wouldn’t be here,” they say. “La lucha sigue!”

(English: “The struggle continues!”)

If you’re interested in learning more, visit our Empathy Fellowship program page.

Giant wrymouths, whitespotted boxfish and river otters: They’re just like us!

Posted on May 7, 2023February 9, 2024 by Emma Leiser

The Seattle Aquarium’s latest SEAlebrities are an interesting bunch. Some hide right before our eyes; others stand out in flashy colors. Then there are those that just love to play! Sounds like some people you know, right? Let’s meet them.

Giant wrymouths: mysterious and reclusive

There are four recognized species in the wrymouth family. At over 5½ feet in length, Cryptacanthodes giganteus is the largest. (Regular wrymouths grow to around 3 feet, dwarf wrymouths to 1 foot.) With their long, narrow bodies, giant wrymouths are easily mistaken for eels. The big clue? Pectoral fins, which are characteristic of fish and not eels.

Here are two ways they’re just like us!

They like a safe, cozy home.

Giant wrymouths build their homes in the northeast Pacific Ocean, from the Bering Sea off the coast of Alaska to Humboldt Bay in California. They burrow into the soft ocean floor with just their heads peeking out—hiding in plain sight from hungry seals and sea lions.

They love snacks.

It is thought that giant wrymouths live most of their lives in the sand. Only tasty treats like crustaceans and invertebrates—or a special delivery by feeding pole, as shown in the photo taken at the Aquarium—can coax them out of their cozy burrows.

Meet Belle, a giant wrymouth in our care. Look for Belle in our Puget Sound Fish habitat on your next visit to the Aquarium!

Whitespotted boxfish: what a body!

Whitespotted boxfish, Ostracion meleagris, are found throughout the Pacific and Indian oceans, where they make their homes in reef ecosystems. Although small, growing to less than 10 inches, their busy patterns and vibrant colors attract a lot of attention. Luckily, they have two sneaky ways of remaining safe from predators.

Here are two ways they’re just like us!

They protect their core valuables.

The whitespotted boxfish wields some invisible survival tools. Their body is built on a frame made of thickened and fused scale plates—a kind of armor—that protects their internal organs and gives them their characteristic shape. If a predator gets too close, the whitespotted boxfish turns on the slime, secreting poisonous mucus to repel or kill them.

They dress to impress potential mates.

Female whitespotted boxfish are tastefully dressed in black with allover white spots. Males have the same spotted back, but their sides are adorned with flashy colors—vivid blue with bright yellow bands and spots, the fish version of a custom-made, multi-hued suit. After all, it’s showtime.

Look for our two SEAlebrity whitespotted boxfish, Polka and Dot, at the Seattle Aquarium in the Pacific Coral Reef habitat!

River otters: work hard, play hard, nap when needed.

Where there’s ample water, land and fish, chances are you’ll find North American river otters. Lontra canadensis thrive in both marine and freshwater habitats, frolicking in coastal estuaries, marshes and streams, as well as inland swamps, lowland marshes and small lakes. Although they can be shy with people, you might be surprised by what we have in common with these gregarious animals.

Here are two ways they’re just like us!

They like a good nap.

If you don’t see the river otters in our care at play, they’re probably napping in their den. Can you spot them? Depending on the time of year and where they live, river otters may be diurnal (more active during the daylight and less at night); nocturnal (more active at night and less during the day); or crepuscular—meaning most active at twilight! Regardless of when they keep busy, after hours of hunting, playing, building their dens and planning escape routes, a quick snooze is just the ticket.

Fun is having buddies to play with.

Otters like to socialize and when they get together it’s all about fun! Watching them speed through the water, slide down riverbanks and wrestle each other is very entertaining but this is not just play. The otters are learning and practicing survival skills that also build bonds among the group.

Don’t miss our SEAlebrity duo, Molalla and Ahanu, in the Aquarium’s river otter habitat!

The biggest threat to marine animals? Us.

You can make a difference for giant wrymouths, whitespotted boxfish and river otters. For them, there’s no hiding from trawling nets, diminishing habitats, climate change and plastic pollution. Whether or not they’re on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species™, human-caused impacts are a threat to their survival. Every animal in the ocean needs a healthy habitat to thrive—just like you do. Visit our Act for the Ocean page to learn what you can do to help preserve the health of our marine environment.

Privacy for the puffling

Why are sharks going extinct?

A clue on how to turn the tide

Avoiding the extinction vortex

What can individuals do?

Working Far Beyond our Walls

Connecting Research and Home

Troubled Findings and a Call to Action

A Revolutionary Map Evolves

99 PERCENT OF EARTH’S LIVING ORGANISMS LIVE IN THE OCEAN

ONE-PERCENTERS (US) STRIVING TO BE SEA-WORTHY NEIGHBORS

SHARED WATERS, SHARED CHALLENGES—AND SHARED SOLUTIONS!

White sturgeon: fish with an identity crisis?

HOW ARE STURGEON JUST LIKE US?

They have what it takes to protect themselves.

They like to lay low and feel things out.

Tufted puffins: parrots of the sea

HOW ARE TUFTED PUFFINS JUST LIKE US?

They dress for the season.

They search for love that lasts a lifetime.

Dwarf cuttlefish: now you see them, now you don't

HOW ARE DWARF CUTTLEFISH JUST LIKE US?

They know when to fade into the background—and when it’s time to be seen.

They like to go out for a stroll.

Meet the Treelebrities

Watch our team welcome mangroves and bluespotted rays

SHARING THE CARING

ALL HANDS ON DECO!

FROM QUESTIONS TO ANSWERS, ACTIONS TO RESULTS

DISCOVER YOUR “BARNACLE MOMENT” AT THE SEATTLE AQUARIUM!

“When I came across this fellowship, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to combine my two passions: diversity, equity and inclusion, and marine science.”

“What excites me most about this fellowship is the opportunity to meaningfully connect with diverse communities by sharing space and striving for mutual understanding.”

“I want to learn about the ways in which I can uplift and empower the local LGBTQ+ community, particularly trans people.”

“I’m thrilled to merge my many passions—including conservation, education, community-building, and gender and racial justice in my position as an empathy fellow.”

If you’re interested in learning more, visit our Empathy Fellowship program page.

Giant wrymouths: mysterious and reclusive

Here are two ways they’re just like us!

They like a safe, cozy home.

They love snacks.

Whitespotted boxfish: what a body!

Here are two ways they’re just like us!

They protect their core valuables.

They dress to impress potential mates.

River otters: work hard, play hard, nap when needed.

Here are two ways they’re just like us!

They like a good nap.

Fun is having buddies to play with.

The biggest threat to marine animals? Us.

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