Join The Florida Aquarium for Sea Turtle Days on April 14 & 15 where guests will learn about these amazing and ancient sea creatures that play an integral role in ocean ecosystems – from coral reefs to the open ocean. Enjoy fun educational activities for all ages and learn more about the Aquarium’s sea turtle rescue, research, rehab and return-to-ocean programs. Guests will also find out how they can help save sea turtles by reducing their environmental impact.
Weekend activities include fun, educational sea turtle activities throughout the Aquarium, a sea turtle-themed scavenger hunt and presentations by Aquarium sea turtle experts.
Ahead of the weekend, The Florida Aquarium is organizing a beach cleanup Friday, April 13 from 9-11:30 a.m. at Ben T. Davis beach. This cleanup will focus on cleaning up Florida beaches, as sea turtle nesting season begins in May. Although Ben T. Davis is not a sea turtle nesting beach, it is important to keep all beaches clean, as trash from the beach can easily end up in the water where it can have detrimental effects on sea turtles.
Registration starts at 9 a.m. at the beach, the clean-up will begin at 9:30 a.m. and will wrap up at 11:30 a.m. There is a $1 fee to park for two-hours. Please be sure to wear sunscreen, shoes you don’t mind getting dirty, and to bring a reusable water bottle. Aquarium Volunteer Services will provide fabric gloves, grabbers and trash bags. Participants under age 18 must have a parent or guardian accompany them.
Please contact Chelsea Gomez at cgomez@flaquarium.org to sign up.
Below is a detailed schedule of the weekend’s events on Saturday and Sunday:
9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.: Fun, educational sea turtle activities throughout the Aquarium and a sea turtle-themed scavenger hunt.
11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.: Speak to a Sea Turtle Scientist. Following the Aquarium’s Secret Sea Life Superhero presentation in the Coral Reef gallery, learn all about these amazing and ancient sea creatures from the experts. Dr. Ari Fustukjian (Fuh-stook-shian), Associate Veterinarian, will present on Saturday and Eric Hovland, Associate Curator, will present on Sunday.
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