The National Aquarium is lifting the guest vaccine requirement beginning Friday, February 25. Guests will no longer be required to show proof of vaccination in order to enter the Aquarium. The National Aquarium made this decision after carefully considering the latest scientific and medical information available on the subject. Baltimore and Maryland have seen a significant decrease in COVID-related hospitalizations, prompting the state to ease vaccine requirements. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Maryland has also decreased in recent weeks. This good news comes as health officials continue to urge residents to take precautions.
Dive Deep at the National Aquarium this Spring Springtime is an ideal time of year to visit the National Aquarium in downtown Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. With eight excellent exhibits, from Shark Alley to Australia: Wild Extremes to the ever-popular Tropical Rainforest, there’s always something fascinating to learn. Plus, this spring the Aquarium has fun and educational events, including specialized tours that offer a behind the scenes look at the operation, immersive film experiences and an upcoming discussion about the current state of diversity in conservation. Here’s a look at some events and activities to consider
Happy Manatee Awareness Month! November has been deemed Manatee Awareness Month to help promote the protection of manatees. Learn more about these gentle giants—and how you can help protect them. LEARN MORE Celebrating Jellies In honor of Jellyfish Day, learn about a few of the fascinating species that live in our Jellies Invasion exhibit. READ MORE Calendar of Events NOVEMBER 5, 2017 • 9 AM – 11 AM “Seafood by the Harbor” at the Baltimore Farmers’ Market and Bazaar Evening Lecture DECEMBER 13, 2017 • 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM The Passion of a Patriot:
Color-Changing Cephalopods Octopuses, along with several other molluscan members of the Cephalopoda class, are masters of camouflage. Watch how octopuses use their color-changing skills to their advantage! WATCH Arms vs. TentaclesArms vs. Tentacles If you think octopuses have tentacles, you’re not alone—but the eight limbs attached to an octopus’ head are actually arms. Learn about the difference between arms and tentacles! LEARN MORE Calendar of Events: Evening Lecture OCTOBER 17, 2017 • 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM JUNK Raft: Our Voyage Toward More Ocean, Less Plastic Conservation Event OCTOBER 28, 2017 • 9:30 AM
Animal Rescue Update: After spending several months at our Animal Care Center, Luna the juvenile grey seal was released yesterday in New Jersey! LEARN MORE Terrapin Hatchlings Are Here! The National Aquarium is currently caring for 51 terrapin hatchlings as part of our Terrapins in the Classroom program! Our team will care for the hatchlings until they’re ready to be sent to Maryland classrooms at the end of September. Watch our recent Facebook Live to learn more! LEARN MORE Calendar of Events SEPTEMBER 22 – SEPTEMBER 24, 2017 • 11 AM – 7 PM Baltimore
More Than Meets the Eye Researchers now know that the white-and-black splotches that give spotted eagle rays their common name form a pattern unique to each individual animal! This was determined using photo identification, which has also been used to show the individual qualities of humpback whales’ flukes and great white sharks’ dorsal fins. READ MORE Upcoming Events 22 FEBRUARY 22, 2017 • 6:30 PM – 9 PM Member Evening 25 MARCH 25, 2017 • 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM Project Clean Stream at Masonville Cove 1 APRIL 1, 2017 • 9 AM – 2
Chesapeake Bay Shows Signs of Health Published February 01, 2017 A report released last month shows the overall health of the Chesapeake Bay is better than it has been in decades! The Chesapeake Bay, the nation’s largest estuary, is evaluated every two years by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s State of the Bay report. Scientists compile data for 13 indicators in three major categories: pollution, habitat and fisheries. In this year’s report, 9 of the 13 indicators showed improvement from the last report and each of the three categories improved overall! The continued improvement of the
