The Aquarium of Niagara in Niagara Falls, N.Y., welcomed a non-releasable Kemp’s ridley sea turtle into a newly renovated exhibit under the sponsorship of NOCO and with the support of the Niagara County Industrial Development Agency. The turtle, named Squirt, will help the Aquarium educate guests about how human actions can help and hurt wildlife.
Squirt was found floating in the Peace River in Punta Gorda, Fla., in April 2015 as a sub-adult with old wounds consistent with a boat strike. He was brought to Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota, Fla., for evaluation, where the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), in cooperation with Mote’s veterinarian, determined that Squirt’s jaw and left eye injuries left him unable to forage and eat live prey. Aquarium Decoration
Squirt spent eight years in the care of Mote’s talented animal experts. However, as he continued to grow, it was determined that Squirt should be transferred to a facility with a larger exhibit to meet his needs, and the Aquarium of Niagara was chosen as his new home.
To prepare for Squirt’s arrival, the Aquarium of Niagara completed a $175,000 exhibit renovation and underwent a rigorous inspection process in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and FWC. The Aquarium’s zoological staff worked hand-in-hand with FWC and FWS biologists to ensure that Squirt would have a wonderful permanent home at the Aquarium.
“It is our privilege to partner with the Aquarium of Niagara to house non-releasable sea turtles,” said Karen Frutchey, the Southeast sea turtle coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “This sea turtle will serve as an ambassador animal to inspire and encourage millions of visitors to the Aquarium of Niagara to conserve sea turtle populations globally.”
Squirt was transported to the Aquarium of Niagara by Turtles Fly Too. This non-profit organization recruits private pilots to volunteer their time and aircraft to facilitate endangered sea turtle rescue operations.
While Squirt will live out his life in the safety and security of his exhibit at the Aquarium of Niagara, his counterparts in the wild still face many challenges. NOAA Fisheries estimates that hundreds of thousands of sea turtles are involved in boat strikes every year as they surface to breathe, rest, bask, or feed in shallow waters. In Florida, where Squirt was rescued, 20-30 percent of stranded sea turtles have injuries consistent with these human/animal interactions.
Squirt’s scars remind us of the consequences of human activities on this endangered species, and his story illuminates the importance of respectfully sharing our waterways with the wildlife inhabiting them. Interpretive exhibit signage, an interactive digital game, and daily presentations at Squirt’s exhibit will highlight important conservation messaging and equip visitors with tangible ways to contribute to these charismatic animals’ recovery.
“When guests make authentic connections with our animal ambassadors, they are more likely to care about those animals’ wild counterparts,” said Gary Siddall, president and chief executive officer at the Aquarium of Niagara. “We’ve found that animals whose stories illustrate challenges they faced in their natural environment are most compelling for our visitors. With the support of powerful interpretive content and educational presentations, visitors become equipped with the knowledge and tools they need to take conservation action on their behalf.”
Photos Credit: © Aquarium of Niagara
Edited by Sarah Gilsoul, a writer and communications coordinator at AZA.
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