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Author: Greater Cleveland Aquarium

A Spin on the Laundromat: Moon Jellyfish

September 28, 2019
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You may wonder as you walk through the Greater Cleveland Aquarium’s Coastal Boardwalk Gallery why there is a giant washing machine. As you get closer, you will see what is gently swirling in the fanciful exhibit—moon jellyfish. The decision to showcase these animals in such a way came from Director of Artistic Production and Operations, Bruce Orendorf.

Bruce had a few ideas about how to fit the new exhibit in with the gallery’s deliberately kitschy boardwalk theme. The jellyfish exhibit uses a circular kreisel tank that causes the water to flow in a circular motion and enables the animals to rise and fall, but moves slow enough so that they are allowed to move freely as well. In thinking about the exhibit’s relationship to a boardwalk Bruce thought, “Cotton candy machine?”, but ruled that out as that kind of machine operates horizontally, not vertically. Then he thought, “You know what that looks like? A washing machine.”

The moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita), which gets its name from four internal gonads that have a moon shape, cannot swim, so their movement in the water relies on currents. They use currents to move through the water to find their prey, which consist of zooplankton, fish eggs, larval crabs and shrimp. Here at the Aquarium, their diet consists of artemia nauplii, a form of brine shrimp.

“I want people to find them as interesting as I do,” said Aquarist Bethany Hickey, who is in charge of the exhibit, and who has a particular interest in invertebrates. Hickey says that ensuring that the temperature, as well as the water currents, mirror that of the environment these animals live in, is crucial to their survival. “They are very susceptible to any environmental changes, and that necessary stability is somewhat challenging to maintain in the exhibit,” she said.

After landing on a name, Bruce built the façade in-house and had signs made that were similar to what you would see in a real laundromat, but would also work within the Coastal Boardwalk theme.

Now you know some of the thought and planning that goes into creating a new exhibit. Next time you visit, check out the jellyfish in the Blue Moon Laundromat.

– Neda Spears

5 Tips to Recycle Responsibly

September 3, 2019
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We all want to do our part to help the Earth, but sometimes we feel we just we don’t know how. Nine out of 10 people said they would recycle if it were “easier.” Here are 5 simple tips to become a recycling regular:

1. Follow City’s Pickup Standards.

Depending where you live, recyclables are either collected in blue plastic bags or loose in bins. Follow the regulations of your City to ensure extra plastic is not wasted. If your City does not require collection in plastic bags, use a bin or cart when taking out or dropping off recycling.

Collecting recyclables in plastic bags can cause issues with the recycling equipment and sorting machines. Plastic bags can get tangled and contaminate sorted recycling bins creating more trouble and waste. Because of this, they can end up in landfills, blow away and clog our waterways, oceans and seas.

Plastic bags, like grocery bags should never be recycled with your recyclables. Collect plastic bags and consider looking into collection programs at local grocery stores and retailers. To find a location accepting drop-offs near you, check out plasticfilmrecycling.org. 

2. Only recycle clean, empty containers.

Rinse out your bottles, jars and cartons before throwing them in the recycling. Remember, that pizza box isn’t recyclable. While it is cardboard, it can never be clean and free of grease and food remnants.

3. Replace bottle lids after cleaning.

Plastic lids can now be recycled but they can’t be recycled alone. Bottle lids that are thrown into recycling alone can be hard to spot and are often lost in the process of sorting. This means they can end up with the trash and head to a landfill. After you empty and clean your containers, make sure to put the caps back on.

4. Don’t mix everything together if you’re unsure.

When recycling, it is important not to “wish cycle”. Wish cycling is a term used to describe when someone puts items in their recycling and is unsure if it’s recyclable or not. This creates more waste and contaminates items that could have been recycled. While it feels good to recycle more items, make sure you only recycle the “core” recycling items at home: cans, cartons, glass bottles and jars, paper and boxes, and plastic bottles and jugs.

5. Research your city’s recycling policies.

If you’re interested in learning more about how you can continue or start recycling correctly, research your City’s website to find out what items are accepted, and the best way to recycle. Each site will address any frequently asked questions you might have on recycling properly where you live. If you live in Cuyahoga County, you can find more information at cuyahogarecycles.org.

Species Highlight: Poison Dart Frog

August 26, 2019
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Poison dart frogs got their moniker from indigenous Central and South Americans using the toxins the animals secrete through their skin on hunting arrows. We talked to aquarist Connor Craig to learn more about some of the Greater Cleveland Aquarium’s newest (and deadliest) residents.

Poison dart frogs can be found in nature in the humid rainforests of Central and South America. Their vivid coloring is a form of protection from would-be predators. “A poison dart frog’s bright color advertises the fact that it’s poisonous, so they don’t get eaten,” says Craig adding that although darts frog come in a variety of hues, their color doesn’t correlate to how poisonous they are.

Their deadly poison comes from the frog’s diet of different small insects like ants, small flies and beetles. In the Aquarium, the poison dart frogs eat fruit flies, pinhead crickets and a vitamin supplement to ensure proper nutrition. “The controlled diet doesn’t allow for the development of the poison for which these animals are known,” says Craig.

The only natural predator of the poison dart frog is the fire-bellied snake (Leimadophis epinephelus), which has developed a resistance to the frog’s poison. However, the biggest problems facing poison dart frogs are related to human activity. “One of the first signs that something is wrong in an ecosystem is if indicator species, such as amphibians, start to decline,” Craig says. “Many species of amphibians are threatened from human activities like deforestation, the pet trade and deteriorating water quality.”

While deadly, imagine if their poison could be used to make someone feel better. Scientists are using the toxins blue poison dart frogs secrete to study how nerves conduct electricity to help them create new human painkillers.

Get an up-close look at green and black, Patricia dyeing and ‘Azureus’ blue dart frogs on your next visit to the Greater Cleveland Aquarium. Nature. It’s a curious thing.

– Hannah

5 Things I Learned: Cleaner Shrimp

August 20, 2019
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Take a stroll down our Coastal Boardwalk Gallery and you’ll find all sorts of creatures. One of the most interesting that you’ll find in our invertebrate Touch Pool is the decapod crustacean, commonly known as a cleaner shrimp. These shrimp exhibit a cleaning symbiotic relationship with the fish they rid of parasites. Here are 5 facts that I have learned about cleaner shrimp.

You can come see a cleaner shrimp up close and even get a “mini-manicure” when they clean the dead skin from your fingers at the Greater Cleveland Aquarium’s Invertebrate Touch Pool. Nature. It’s a curious thing.

– Payton Burkhammer, Intern

Coral Reefs and Sunscreen

August 11, 2019
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What can I do, here in Ohio to help protect the coral reefs thousands of miles away? The answer may surprise you. There are numerous ways YOUR individual actions can either hurt or help coral reefs around the world. One such action is the selection of your sunscreen! The sunscreen you have at home may contain chemicals that are extremely dangerous for coral reefs.

Image source: http://rethinkcleveland.org/home.aspx

Sunscreens are important to us they help prevent skin damage from the harsh ultraviolet rays of the sun. But, the protection of our skin comes at a cost, a few of the chemicals used in sunscreens have been found to have negative effects on coral reefs.  The ingredient oxybenzone is found in 65% of non-mineral sunscreens and it has recently been discovered to damage coral DNA. Oxybenzone, while thought to be an important ingredient for sunscreen has been found to negatively impact coral reefs across the globe.

Image Source: Halle Minshall

In 2005 Dr. Craig Downes and the United States National Park Service were working in collaboration to uncover the cause of coral losses in the U.S. Virgin Islands when they stumbled upon the role sunscreen played in coral death. The tourists, sunbathers, snorkelers and divers lathered in sunscreen and to enjoy turquoise blue waters were introducing chemicals that kill the very corals and damage the ecosystem they are trying to enjoy.

Image Source: https://slideplayer.com/slide/4629733/

It is estimated that every year swimmers, snorkelers and divers introduce 14,000 tons of sunscreen to coral reefs. This introduction of the harsh chemical components in sunscreen, sea temperature rising and ocean acidification have worked together to create the perfect storm for coral reef destruction. Corals are living animals, not plants, these tiny animals build the foundations of the reef out of limestone. The tiny coral polyps live in large communities and play host to a special alga called zooxanthellae.  The zooxanthellae live inside the coral and share food they produce from photosynthesis in return for their safe housing.

Image Souce: Halle Minshall

So, what can you do to help the coral reefs?

Consider looking into some of the many “reef safe” sunscreen options and/or avoiding the need for sunscreen by wearing a hat or UV-safe long sleeved shirt and pants to protect your skin.  Alternatively, stay indoors instead of in the sun entirely.  We need to be more aware of the impact of our actions even though they may seem inconsequential.  Some states have begun to regulate the chemical components in sunscreen to help keep their coral reefs healthy.

Do your part and think about what you put on your body and into the ocean and coral reef ecosystem!

5 Things I Learned: Weedy Seadragon

August 7, 2019
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Is that seaweed or a weedy seadragon? Seaweed-like appendages camouflage the weedy seadragon, helping it blend in to its costal Australian habitat. Want to know more? Here are 5 things I learned, but beware, their laidback surfer vibe is relaxing enough to put you to sleep:

Weedy seadragons are a Near Threatened species found along the southern coastline of Australia. You can see weedy seadragons and learn more about conservation during your next visit to the Greater Cleveland Aquarium. Nature. It’s a curious thing.

– Hannah Moskowitz, Intern

Shark Conservation: 4 Ways You Can Help

July 28, 2019
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Sharks are some of the oldest and most complex organisms in the world and their absence would likely have a huge impact on the ocean ecosystem and our world as we know it.  Today, more than 11,000 sharks are killed by humans per hour due to bycatch, finning and overfishing. With humans killing an estimated 100 million sharks a year, it’s critical that we work to protect them. Here are a few ways you can actively support shark conservation.

Education

One of the best first steps to helping our oceans and animals is to educate ourselves! Research organizations all over the world collect data and information about our effect on the environment. Evaluating their findings leads to discussions and discoveries of ways that we can make a better and more conscious impact on the world.  Sharks4Kids goal is to create a new generation of shark advocates through curriculum, games, and activities that can be accessed on their website.  Some other great places we can learn from include:

Charities/Research Organizations

Supporting local and global organizations making a difference is important too. Support can be in the form of monetary donations that allow scientists to fund research vital to understanding the environment.  It can also be in the form of advocating and sharing the knowledge we get from these organizations with others.  The Shark Research Institute in Princeton, NJ conducts some of the most well-known shark research in the world. With one of the largest collections of data on these animals, the Institute is able to provide credible information to the media and help deter misconceptions about sharks.  Their efforts to help change the image of sharks is revered worldwide. Some other great places to look into include:

Reducing Single-Use Plastic

Reduce, reuse, recycle—one of the best known conservation slogans of all time is still an important and effective way to help cut down on pollution that directly affects sharks. Reducing our reliance on single-use plastic can yield amazing results.  By reducing plastic usage less trash accumulates in the ocean and less sharks and their natural food sources such as sea lions and sea turtles will consume these items.  When we refrain from polluting our waters we can in turn make them cleaner and there will be less of a chance for sharks to  consume plastic which can be harmful.  Ocean 4 Plastic is an organization with a mission to remove plastic from oceans.  Their two largest projects located in Haiti and Bali guarantee one pound of trash removal per $20 donation.  Their website features a live count of how many pounds of trash have been removed from oceans by their projects.  They also host cleanups worldwide and build recycling infrastructure in certain locations. Some other great places that actively do this include:

Shopping Sustainably

Being mindful about where you shop for and what foods you buy can have a greater impact than you might think. For example, the shark fin trade and production of shark fin soup greatly depletes shark populations worldwide. Choosing to shop in places that don’t support or contribute to these issues can help our shark populations grow. The Animal Welfare Institute provides a map showing what restaurants in the United States currently produce shark fin soup.  They implore individuals to call those places and ask them to stop providing any products containing shark fins. Want to know more about the impact of your purchase? Check out:

And, if you want a more hands-on experience, come into the Greater Cleveland Aquarium to learn more about our sharks and why it’s so important that we keep them around!

– Kloby R.

5 Things I Learned: Anableps

July 24, 2019
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Quickly swimming at the surface, Anableps anableps can be difficult to spot despite the fact that they swim in schools. Let’s get a closer look at these unique fish.

Nature. It’s a curious thing.

– Megan Brown, Intern

Be Wiser with Water

July 15, 2019
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When Earth’s surface is 70% water, it’s easy to think that water is abundant. However, this is not the case.

Did you know that less than 1% of the Earth’s water is available to 7.5 billion people? This is because the majority of the Earth’s water is saltwater, leaving freshwater making up only 3%. Most freshwater is unavailable for use because it is trapped in glaciers, stored in the atmosphere and soil, too deep in the earth to attain, or highly polluted.

This leaves very little water to share between so many people. Especially when the average American uses between 80-100 gallons of water each day.

With this in mind, it is important to reconsider how we use water every day. Even as individuals, it is possible to make a big difference by changing our habits. Every drop counts!

Turn off the Faucet

This is the simplest bad habit to break! There’s no need to have the water running when you brush your teeth. You also don’t need to faucet running when you rinse food and dishes. Soak them instead!

Check for Leaks

One drip every second adds up to 5 gallons a day! Check your faucets, shower heads, and toilet for any leaks.

Stick to One Cup

Designate one glass or bottle to drink water from each day. You will avoid have to wash excess glasses

Shorten Your Showers

By shortening your shower by a minute, you can have about 150 gallons of water a month. If you can get your shower time down to 5 minutes, you’ll save 1,000 gallons a month!

 

Opt for the Dishwasher Over Handwashing

Washing dishes by hand results in constant running water. Meanwhile, a dishwasher will use about half the amount of water for the same amount of dishes. Using a dishwasher is less work for you anyways!

Only Do Full Loads

When using the dishwasher or washing machine wait until they are full to run them. This will save your 20 gallons of water per wash! You’ll also waste less soap and detergent.

Repurpose Water

A lot of water is wasted every day when it could easily be used for a different purpose. While waiting for the hot water, collect the cold water and use it to water plants. Collect rainwater to use for the same purpose.

Water is finite, and it is important to conserve this valuable resource. Make it a goal to have as little water flow down the drain as possible. Conserving water takes commitment, but the result is well worth it. You will not only make a huge difference on your water bill, but for the environment as well!

– Megan