Managing the Worlds Fisheries

South Carolina Aquarium Visit

As I first walked into the South Carolina Aquarium, the first thing to pop out at you is a small fish tank with some deep water species of fish. As I continued walking through the aquarium the species of aquatic and land organisms became more and more diverse. The species at this aquarium ranged from snakes, to birds, to jellyfish. There is no doubt in my mind that this aquarium is home to various species that have either become injured in some way, or are there for more research to better understand how to conserve the species. For example, the first animal you see when you go up the escalator is a North American Bald Eagle. The only reason this beautiful animal is being held in captivity is because it was injured and the South Carolina Aquarium makes sure to take good care of it and treat it with love and care. Aquariums like this one play a crucial role in helping people understand how they can protect and conserve animals and their natural habitat.

The first exhibit I visited was the Great Ocean Tank, which was home to some of the most beautiful aquatic species of fish I have ever seen. The fish that I was most interested in was the Porcupine puffer (Diodon hystrix). A fully grown Porcupine puffer can reach up to 1.2 feet. It has spiny appendages which cover most of its body, which may vary from light gray to mottled tans, sometimes with dark spots. If it gets spooked or startled by a predator, it will puff up and use its spines as a defense mechanism. Lastly, the diet of these fish consist of squid, krill, clams, and hard shelled shrimp. Their diet consist of this because they do not have teeth, they have a beak, which constantly grows throughout its life span.

Secondly, I visited the Turtle Triage area, which is home to some of the biggest Sea Turtles I have ever seen. The name of the turtle that I focused on was Scabbers, who is a Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta). He was found struggling to swim near Kiawah Island, SC. He is only a juvenile and already weighs up to 104 pounds. Adults can reach up to 300 pounds and can reach carapace length up to 3.5 feet. Their status in the United States is threatened, meaning that they are likely to be endangered soon. These turtles hatch throughout the year, but mostly in the summer. When baby sea turtles hatch, they use the moon as a guide to find their way back into the ocean. Sometimes, these baby sea turtles will notice a street light and walk the complete opposite direction. Humans have to respect the way that wildlife takes its course and need to have boundaries when it comes to building homes to close to the beach and other ecosystems. Other sea turtles that are found in South Carolina consists of leatherbacks and Kemp Ridley sea turtles.

Next, I walked to the second floor of the aquarium to observe the Lionfish invader exhibit. Lionfish are an invasive species, meaning that they have expanded into an ecosystem where they were not originally located and cause harmful changes in the new ecosystem they inhabit. For example, the Lionfish has venomous spines along the backside of it, thus, they do not have any predators in the new ecosystem, making them grow much larger in population. Originally Lionfish are from the Pacific Ocean, but have invaded the reefs in South Carolina waters. The most reasonable explanation for this is that someone with pet Lionfish let them out into the waters here in South Carolina and they have been breeding by themselves ever since. Other aquatic invaders consist of the Spotted Moray, and the Slipper lobster.

Lastly, I visited the Shark Petting Pool, located on the second floor. This pool consisted of catsharks, also known as chain dogfish. These are not the sharks that are going to become endangered because fishermen are not seeking these small sharks for fins. The majority of sharks are as small as these, about the length of the average forearm. These sharks seem to enjoy being pet and given attention.

In conclusion, aquariums and zoos across the world help people understand how to protect and conserve the animals and their habitats. People leave these attractions not just with greater awareness but also a better understanding of biodiversity and conservation. Much more has to be done than just informing the public because an increase in knowledge does not necessarily lead to a change in behavior.