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Studying the Secrets Shark and Ray Blood
Studying the Secrets Shark and Ray Blood Whenever we conduct an annual checkup on our Leopard Sharks and rays, we make sure to collect a blood sample from each individual. But why? So much is still unknown about sharks and rays as a whole. Studying shark and ray blood allows us to uncover clues that reveal a wealth of information about an individual. Are they eating a balanced diet? Is an individual pregnant? Are any environmental factors impacting their health? We can answer all these questions and more by studying their blood. How do you get a blood sample from a shark? A ray? Drawing blood from a shark and ray is a little more complicated than it is for humans. It takes an incredible amount of collaborative work to get the job done! Just like doctors use a needle to draw blood from us humans, our veterinarians use one as well. They’ll draw blood from a vein on the underside of a shark near the caudal fin aka “tail” The process is fairly quick and only takes a minute or two. This process is similar for our rays, with one slight change. Since our rays have an extra defense […]
Member Beach Cleanup Highlight
It’s Plastic Free July! Recently, more than 60 #BirchAquarium members participated in our beach cleanup at La Jolla Shores to pick up plastics and other debris! Together, our members removed 43 pounds of trash from the beach and also picked up about 4 pounds of debris that was recycled. We wanted to take a moment to recognize and thank our members for their incredible work as well as our friends over at I Love A Clean San Diego for partnering up with us for this effort!
International Angel Shark Day
Angel sharks are a unique species of shark that stand out – or should we say blend in – thanks to their flat features, sandy brown coloration and scattered spots. This shark lives on the sandy seafloor, almost disappearing when buried in the sand. An ambush predator, angel sharks lie in wait for unsuspecting small fish to swim just a little too close, and, when the time is right they’ll strike! They’ll lunge forward, open their mouths wide and extend their powerful jaws to suction up their prey in a blink of an eye.
Annual Loggerhead Sea Turtle Checkup
Recently, our rescued Loggerhead Sea Turtle had her annual checkup — we scrubbed her shell, got some new measurements and even collected a blood sample! Every year, our Husbandry and Veterinary Teams gather new measurements to track her growth and health over time. This information helps us to better understand our turtle and continue to provide her with the best possible care.
Mangrove Makeover
Recently our mangrove habitat got a major makeover! An incredible amount of love and work went into this habitat that is now home to about 40 mangroves as well as Diamond Fish, Chocolate Chip Sea Stars, baby Epaulette Sharks and more! Be sure to check it out the next time you stop by the aquarium – you can find this habitat in the Hall of Fishes.
Meet the amazing volunteers of Birch Aquarium!
This National Volunteer Appreciation Week, we’re celebrating our team of over 300 volunteers that go above and beyond everyday at the aquarium to create unforgettable experiences for our guests! They share stories and fun facts that spark curiosity, introduce guests to the intertidal zone, help out in our education classrooms, prepare food for our animals and so much more! Birch Aquarium would not be the same without their hard work!
Celebrating National Student Employee Week
Did you know almost half our aquarium staff is made up of UC San Diego students?! About every department at the aquarium has at least one student in the mix! This National Student Employee Week we’re putting the spotlight on a few of the MANY students that work at Birch Aquarium.
Grow Coral Grow!
Check out how much our Staghorn Coral fragments have grown since last July – it’s pretty incredible to see how much they’ve grown! We’ve raised generations of coral at Birch Aquarium via coral propagation to help with coral conservation efforts! Our aquarists mimic nature and carefully fragment coral into smaller pieces. With proper care, these small coral fragments can grow into new coral colonies. Over the years, we’ve given hundreds of coral fragments to Scripps researchers and accredited aquariums worldwide.