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Category: Education

Wild, Weird & Creepy Creatures

October 30, 2024
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Why do some animals give us the creeps? As Halloween season is upon us, it’s important to stop and consider. Have you ever felt a shiver down your spine at the sight of a spider lurking in a nearby corner, or watching a snake slither away through tall grass? At the Aquarium, we like to highlight some of these less beloved animals and dig into why their reputations leave a bit to be desired.

Let’s start with an easy one. Sharks have long been branded as these violent and blood-thirsty predators, seeking out both fish and human without preference. Thanks to sensationalized popular media such as ‘Jaws,’ we were fast to believe this behavior is real. This fearsome image overshadows the fact that sharks are vital gatekeepers of their oceanic ecosystems, providing balance to the underwater world. Sharks are in reality remarkable survivors, deserving at the very least our respect, and even our admiration.

 

Green Tree Python eating a mouse at Greater Cleveland Aquarium.

Snakes are another animal often evoking terror for humans, most likely due to their serpentine bodies and fear of their hooked fangs, which are sometimes equipped with venom. As with sharks, popular media and cultural narratives have painted snakes as malevolent over the years, moving far beyond the reputation snakes deserve. The vast majority of snakes are harmless, and would much rather escape our presence than engage with us. Many species also play critical roles in their ecosystems as both predators and prey.

Before judging animals based on their physical appearance and historical narratives, it’s crucial to stop and consider the facts. Facing natural obstacles in the world along with our persecution, negative reputations have pushed some of these species to the brink of extinction.

Join us for our Wild, Weird, & Creepy virtual program on October 30 to learn about some more of these animals, and how you could potentially help out with changing the narrative!

 

– Educator Matt D.

Are They Bad Guys or Just Misunderstood?

April 18, 2022
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Sometimes reputation is not reality. Greater Cleveland Aquarium’s Education team takes a quick looks at snakes, piranhas and sharks to see if they’re really “bad guys” or just misunderstood.

SNAKES

Snakes have been portrayed as bad guys across the globe for centuries. Ancient Greeks share the myth of Medusa with her head of snakes turning humans to stone.  Christianity writes about snakes representing evil and temptation in the garden of Eden. Ancient Egyptians tell of a two-headed serpent guarding the underworld.
Paired with the fact that some snakes deliver a venomous bite, it is not surprising that many people dislike or even fear snakes. However, with more than 3,000 different species of snakes on the planet, there is much to celebrate as well. Less than 7% of snake species are able to significantly harm a human. Snakes play an important role in keeping rodent pest populations under control. Many snakes are both predator and prey in an ecosystem food web, so losing them would have a negative affect on many other species.

The snake at the Aquarium is a green tree python. She spends a significant amount of time curled up on her branch, basking in the humid, tropical temperatures. She starts her life as a different color entirely and becomes a brilliant green color as an adult.

If you encounter a snake, you should give them space, but there is no reason to harm it.

PIRANHAS 

The piranha’s negative reputation can be traced back to Theodore Roosevelt. He witnessed a staged feeding frenzy of starved piranhas on a trip to South America and wrote about the experience. More than 120 years later, these fish are still working against that tale. The 1978 movie Piranha showcasing a piranha hunting humans refueled the hype, as it showcased piranha hunting humans.

In reality, humans are not part of a piranha’s food chain. Many piranha feed on smaller fish species, and some are omnivores, eating both meat and plant material. In the scientific community, they are described as timid scavengers. Piranha group together for safety to protect themselves from their own predators, like large birds.

The piranha at the Aquarium are red-bellied piranha. They can be admired for their shiny scales. They are an important part of their ecosystems in freshwater rivers of South America. Piranha should be more appreciated than feared.

SHARKS 

Sharks are often portrayed as villains in movies. Jaws, Sharknado, The Shallows, The Meg and even The Little Mermaid portray sharks in a negative light. While some sharks are large, and some do have sharp teeth, there is way more to appreciate about sharks than to fear.

Sharks are apex predators. At the top of the food chain, they play a crucial role in keeping the ocean ecosystems in balance, but humans are not part of the menu. There are more than 400 species of sharks and they eat a variety of different types of foods, with the largest whale sharks eating krill, and the smallest dwarf lantern catching tiny prey with an alluring bioluminescent light.

The sharks at the Aquarium are sandtiger, sandbar and nurse sharks. A fan favorite of Aquarium guests, it can be quite calming to watch them swim slowly through the water.

You are more likely to be struck by lightning, fall off a cliff taking a selfie, or be killed by a lawnmower, than be attacked by a shark. Sharks should be revered rather than feared.

–Education 

Bird is the Word

January 3, 2020
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You might be curious about the bird calls you hear while walking through the Aquarium’s Tropical Forest Gallery. Birds play important roles in their ecosystems, from being predators and prey, to acting as pollinators and seed dispersers, to providing magnificent sights and sounds we have come to expect from wild habitats. You will find three different colorful species of birds at the Aquarium. Crested wood-partridges are peculiar, ground-dwelling birds native to Indonesian rainforests. Be on the lookout for the showy red crest on the male’s head. What the female is lacking in head decorations, she makes up for with beautiful green body feathers, compared to the male’s dark blue variety. You might see these birds using their feet to move things around on the ground while foraging for edible treats.

Black-naped fruit doves are another pair of birds where a quick visual study easily distinguishes the male and the female. The male sports the black nape on his neck and head area, while the female is entirely green. Fruits and seeds make up the majority of the menu for these doves.  If you’re fortunate, you may hear and see the male making his vocalization from a perch.

If extremely active birds are your favorite to observe, look no further than the curl-crested aracaris. They’re a playful and curious pair, seemingly hopping and flying around endlessly, always searching for the next item to eat or interact with. They mainly accomplish these activities using their spectacular, large, multicolored bills. Stop by and see if you can spot any out–of-the- ordinary items in their exhibit; these are provided regularly to enrich the birds’ active brains.

Matt Debelak

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.

Seadragons: The Seahorse’s Unique Relative

July 10, 2019
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Seahorses are one of the most well-known and recognizable creatures in the ocean. Their long snouts and curly tails are clear giveaways of their identities. However, these characteristics are not exclusively associated with seahorses. Located in the waters of southern Australia lives an obscure relative of the seahorse: the seadragon. Seadragons are in the same family as seahorses (Syngnathidae) but they are different in a number of ways. Seahorses are quite common and are found in tropical and subtropical waters all around the world, while seadragons are exclusively found near Australia. Also, there are many species of seahorses (around 47) and only three species of seadragons.

Aside from taxonomic classifications and geographic distributions, the main differences between seahorses and seadragons are physical. Seahorses are known for having a prehensile tail, which means they can use their tail to grasp onto things such as plants or even each other. Since seahorses are not good swimmers, the prehensile tail allows them to anchor themselves so they do not get swept away by currents and can remain hidden from predators. Seadragons lack this prehensile tail and rely on camouflage to avoid predation. They have leaf-like appendages to resemble the underwater plants around them, allowing them to blend into their surroundings. In addition, seadragons have slightly longer snouts than their seahorse relatives.

Another one of the main differences between seahorses and seadragons is the way they carry their young. Both seahorse and seadragon young are carried by the males, but in different ways. Seahorse males have a fully enclosed pouch into which females deposit eggs; the males carry those eggs until the young hatch. Seadragon males have a spongy patch located underneath their tail where they carry the eggs.

Besides these main differences, seahorses and seadragons are actually quite similar. At the Greater Cleveland Aquarium, we have one seahorse and one seadragon species. The next time you visit, keep an eye out for the potbelly seahorse (Hippocampus abdominalis) and the weedy seadragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus) and see if you can notice their differences!

Want to know more?

• Kelly, Jasey. “The Differences between the Sea Dragon & Seahorse.”

• MarineBio. “Leafy Sea Dragons, Phycodurus eques.”

• Ocean Conservancy. “Wildlife Fact Sheets: Seahorse.”

– Charlotte

Exploring Similarities, Celebrating Differences: Amphibians and Reptiles

April 10, 2019
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Once upon a time, reptiles and amphibians were classified together as one family. Scientists believe that reptiles evolved from their relative amphibians about 50 million years ago.Frilled Lizard

Today it still can be difficult to identify all of the differences between reptiles and amphibians. They definitely have traits they share. For example, they are both ectothermic, or cold-blooded animals, meaning their body temperature relies on the temperature of their habitat. Reptiles and amphibians also are both vertebrate animals, meaning they have backbones. Reptiles and amphibians also both have excellent eyesight that helps them hunt prey.

Reptiles and amphibians use many common defense mechanisms. Some species of both reptiles and amphibians have the ability to change the color of their skin in order to camouflage in their habitat. Another major defense tactic used by reptiles and amphibians is what scientists call mimicry. Copycat species, some reptiles and amphibians, mimic the bright colors of venomous or poisonous species to ward off predators.

While they clearly have a lot in common, there are some major differences.

All reptiles breathe through their lungs. Turtles are reptiles and some turtles have the additional ability to absorb and dispel gas when underwater during their brumation, or hibernation state. Reptiles also typically have dry, scaly and water-tight skin that offers protection. Reptiles with softer skin are usually equipped with another defense – like the hard shell of a turtle or the spines of a lizard. Reptiles do not live solely in water but normally need to live close to a constant water source.

In addition to breathing through lungs, amphibians can breathe through gills, or through their smooth, moist skin. This is what scientists call cutaneous respiration and amphibians are some of the only animals on the planet that have this ability! This allows for amphibians to live in water for extended periods of time. Some amphibians begin their lives in water and then move to land. Frogs are amphibians that start as tadpoles, completely submerged in water and breathing through their gills, and then move to land as adults once their lungs are fully developed.

While reptiles and amphibians share similarities they have distinct points of differentiation that make them unique. Scientists estimate there are about 8,000 species of reptiles and around 6,000 species of amphibians, and we will continue to learn more about what sets them apart as we continue to study these species.

– Elise

Mistaken Monsters

October 30, 2018
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Many of the aquatic species we know and love today were once believed to be sea monsters. Stories were told and retold through many generations about “sea monsters” that threatened sailors who dared to enter the dangerous, unknown waters. While the tales still live on as spooky stories, today we know these animals are not monsters at all… Let’s take a closer look at some of these “monster-ous” and intriguing animals!

A Multi-Armed, Transparent Monster AKA a Jellyfish

Jellyfish have some decidedly un-human traits. For example, they function without a heart or brain. They also have the ability to clone themselves. And, in a zombie-like twist, it’s even been discovered that the Turritpsis dohrnii jellyfish are biologically immortal. Luckily we know now that jellyfish do not intend to hurt humans and their uniqueness is more intriguing than frightening. (Pictured: an upside-down jellyfish)

A Creature unlike Any Other AKA a Giant Pacific Octopus

A Giant Pacific Octopus’s eight large arms made them easy targets for folklore and scary tales. It is well known today that octopus have DNA unlike any other species on this planet. We also know that octopuses have three hearts, blue blood, a keratin beak and the ability to squeeze into extremely small spaces. It’s pretty easy to imagine how an octopus’s alien appearance could have scared sailors who had never seen one before. Now these highly intelligent creatures are much better understood and appreciated.

A Scaleless Fish AKA an Oyster Toadfish

It seems silly that a moderately sized fish would seem scary, but people generally become frightened by the unusual or unknown, not what is actually threatening and the oyster toadfish is different. For example, it can survive out of water for a lengthy period of time. If that wasn’t startling enough, oyster toadfish flattened heads are scaleless and they have fleshy flaps on their cheeks and jaws.

Sharp Toothed Creatures AKA Sharks

Sharks’ size and sharp teeth earned them the nickname “man-eaters” and made them the basis of many horror stories. In truth, sharks are not interested in preying on humans. People are a bigger threat to sharks than sharks are to us by a long shot. In fact, while people kill an estimated 100 million sharks every year there were only 5 shark-related human deaths in 2017. From their sandpaper-like dermal denticle skin (designed to protect and reduce friction) to their flouride-coated teeth, there’s a lot more to revere than fear when it comes to sharks.

Named Like a Fire-Breathing Fairy Tale Monster AKA Seadragons

While old legends of dragons swimming across the Mediterranean to countries like Italy and Greece might have sent chills down a few spines, clearly these seadragons are not dangerous monsters. The weedy seadragons pictured below are well camouflaged because they are poor swimmers that lack stomachs or teeth.

We’ve come a long way from believing that every unfamiliar underwater animal is a monster ready to cause harm. While so much of the ocean is still to be explored, any discoveries we will make promise to be more fascinating than frightening. Discover these and other curious creatures on your next visit to the Greater Cleveland Aquarium.

Shark Teeth

August 16, 2018
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Did you know that some shark species lose upwards of 30,000 teeth in their lifetime? Due to a strong bite and lack of a hard jawbone anchor, sharks’ teeth constantly break off or fall out. But do not worry! Sharks can have 5 to 15 rows of teeth. When a shark loses a tooth, a new one moves forward to fill in the empty spot. A shark’s first, or working, teeth are the largest. As you go back in its mouth, these teeth get smaller.

Like human teeth, shark teeth are made out of dentin. However, unlike ours, shark teeth are coated with a layer of cavity-preventing fluoride . . . so pass the candy!

Shark teeth come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Often the teeth their upper jaw are shaped differently than those in their lower jaw. The actual shape and structure of a shark’s teeth is related to the diet and hunting style of the species. For example, tiger sharks are known to eat sea turtles, seals and more or less anything that fits in their mouths, so they have large wide serrated teeth well suited to that varied diet. Meanwhile lemon sharks are primarily piscivores, or fish eaters, so their pointed rather than serrated teeth make it easier for them to grab fish and swallow them whole.

As a diver at the Greater Cleveland Aquarium, there are days when I find dozens of sandtiger, sandbar and nurse shark teeth. These three shark species have different types of teeth. The most visible of those belong to the sandtiger sharks. They have large, imposing and very sharp pointed teeth that jut out in all directions. Sandtigers can only eat things that fit within their mouths and swallow whole. Perfect for grabbing and holding prey, sandtigers use their teeth like the tines on a fork.

The smaller sandbar sharks have triangular teeth with serrated edges. They have teeth similar to a great white shark. These teeth allow sandbars to rip and cut food into bite-sized pieces.

Meanwhile, nurse sharks’ powerful jaws allow them to create suction and pull prey from hiding places in rocks and coral. Nurse sharks then use their dense and flattened teeth to crush their prey before swallowing, similar to the way humans use our molars to crunch and grind food. Their teeth are relatively small when compared to their body size.

The next time you visit the Aquarium and look up at that shark in the seatube you will know there is a lot more to a shark’s smile!

– Stephanie Q., Diver 

Shark Spotlight: Sandtiger Sharks

July 26, 2018
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It’s that time of year again—Fin Fest! Sharks are already on our minds 24/7, but this week-long celebration of sharks (July 22 – 29, 2018) gives us an excuse to really show how much we appreciate these jaw-some animals.

Of the three shark species in the Shark Gallery, sandtiger sharks are often the first ones you notice and the ones you remember long after you visit for a number of reasons. They tend to cruise around near the water’s surface, positioning themselves above the nurse and sandbar sharks at the top of the gallery’s vertical hierarchy. The aesthetics, too, are enough to drop a few jaws. Row upon row of ragged, razor-sharp teeth reveal themselves even while the shark’s mouth is at rest, lending an aggressive edge to an already imposing body that can grow to 10½ feet and more than 350 pounds.

However, the voracious behavior implied by these fearsome features couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, sandtiger sharks are a very docile species known to attack humans only when bothered first. They’d much rather spend their time swimming at depths of about 60 to 100 feet, coasting around obstacles and looking for their next meal of small fish, crustaceans or squid. “You’ll find them around a lot of shipwrecks on the Carolina coast,” says aquarist Ray Popik. “They hang out around the top of the wreck … they don’t like to get down low and navigate between things.”

The sandtiger’s docility, though, develops only after it’s born. The pre-birth behavior of the species is just about the most brutal example of natural selection in the entire ocean. Along with several other shark species, the sandtiger has been known to practice intrauterine cannibalism — during pregnancy, the first pup to hatch uses the other eggs and embryos in the mother’s uterus as a food source. “The first egg that hatches wins,” says Popik. “It’s a pretty gnarly process, but in the end it allows them to provide the most amount of nutrition to put out the largest, most well-developed shark possible as a newborn.”

The sandtiger shark is also the only shark species that exhibits a certain hunting behavior: They are known to swim to the surface and gulp air into their stomachs, giving their bodies more buoyancy. This enables them to hover in the water with ease and stalk their prey by remaining completely motionless until the right time to strike. So, while they may not be the most aggressive swimmers or the most ravenous eaters, but when the time comes to feed they can put all those teeth to good use.

It doesn’t take long to find a sandtiger shark on a typical visit to the Aquarium. Their awe-inspiring stature and protruding rows of teeth catch the eyes of guests almost immediately as they enter the shark gallery. Popik agrees that their appearance combined with their behavior gives them an air of quiet dignity. “They have a presence in the exhibit,” he says. “The way they just cruise around; you can tell nothing bothers them.” Indeed, simply watching a sandtiger glide by or even overhead in the sea tube inspires a sense of respect for ocean life few other creatures can match.