On Thursday, October 20, the Roving Reporters had the awesome privilege of going behind the scenes with employees of the Virginia Aquarium. The reporters learned about the conservation of animals and how the staff takes care of the animals. For example, since jellyfish follow the current and cannot propel themselves through the water very well, they are kept in tanks with rounded edges to eliminate the risk of getting stuck in corners.
At the aquarium, there are many different types of fish kept in large tanks. In one tank, Norfolk Canyon, there are Sand Tiger, Sand Bar, and Sand Nurse Sharks (which are mainly nocturnal) among several smaller fish. To prevent any conflicts between the fish, their swimming patterns are observed before they are placed in the tanks. It is important to gather fish with similar swimming patterns so the tank maintains proper circulation.
An interesting fact that the reporters learned while at the Aquarium is that sharks can reproduce without a mate, through the process of parthenogenesis. Detailed records are kept regarding the quantity and type of food the animals eat everyday. Keeping these records allows the aquarists to ensure that the fish are eating enough food, and it provides information on the eating patterns of the fish. By analyzing these records, the aquarists have figured out that sharks have a fasting period. Sharks are also more feisty during breeding season.
Sea turtles are in a separate tank. One turtle in the tank lacks the dark pigment, also known as melanin, that most turtles possess and resulting in a lighter colored shell and skin. The aquarists keep the younger, smaller turtles in their own separate mini tanks until they reach one year of life. Once they reach this milestone, trackers are placed on the turtles' backs and they are released into the wild. The purpose of this is to gain information on the "lost years," a period of time in a turtle's life where no one is sure about their growth rate, activities, or habits.
In the same area that the tiny turtles are kept, there is another tank for coral fragging. Coral fragging is when the aquarists retrieve fragments of coral from the wild and use them to grow new coral. By studying these animals and their environments, researchers contribute tremendously to the conservation effort.