|
|
 Tuesday, April 27, 2010 Celebrate World Oceans Day with Birch Aquarium at Scripps Special activities begin June 8, continue throughout month Scripps Institution of Oceanography / University of California, San Diego It's time to celebrate our big blue ocean!Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, will mark World Oceans Day with special activities on Tuesday, June 8, to honor our connection to the ocean and raise awareness about the need to protect it. Celebrate World Oceans Day and the 50th anniversary of the Dr. Seuss classic One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish with special activities from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Birch Aquarium at Scripps. Explore the aquarium in Seussian style as you spot fish with zany names and odd shapes. Learn about fish diversity as you peer through microscopes, touch shark skin and observe swimming fish. Watch a special World Oceans Day dive show in our two-story, 70,000-gallon kelp forest tank. A fishy scavenger hunt and story times will be held throughout the day. All activities are included with paid admission to the aquarium. First envisioned in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, World Oceans Day is an annual opportunity to celebrate our ocean and personal connection to the sea. The summit was the first major international gathering focused on the health of the ocean. Its centerpiece was the ratification of the Global Warming Treaty, made possible by the inaugural 1990 report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, an international body of researchers - including a dozen Scripps Oceanography scientists - who analyze climate change and its impacts on the planet. The United Nations declared June 8 the official World Oceans Day in 2009. Still feel like celebrating? Honor the ocean all month long with a series of special events at Birch Aquarium at Scripps designed to raise awareness of our ocean. Saturday, June 19  Fish Diversity 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Discover Science, Exploration & Adventure! There's more than just one fish, two fish, red fish and blue fish in the sea. The ocean is home to more than 28,000 species of fish, and roughly 200 new species are discovered each year. Learn about the diversity of fish with hands-on activities, meet Scripps scientists studying fish and a make a recycled fish craft to take home. Included with admission. Saturday, June 19 Snorkel Adventures: Snorkel with the Sharks 8-10 a.m. Explore the underwater world with aquarium naturalists. See local leopard sharks and guitarfish up-close at La Jolla Shores or dive into La Jolla Cove to discover a wide variety of animals that make their homes among the kelp, sandy bottom and rocks. Intermediate swimming ability is required and previous snorkeling experience is recommended. Participants must supply their own gear. Ages 10+ (ages 10-13 must be accompanied by a paid adult). RSVP Required: 858-534-7336 or book online at aquarium.ucsd.edu Public: $30 Friday, June 25  Enjoy a moonlit Pier Walk with Birch Aquarium at Scripps. 7-9:30 p.m. Walk along the Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Pier, normally closed to the public, on an exclusive moonlit tour with a Scripps naturalist. Participants will learn about the history of Scripps Oceanography and current research projects, while collecting plankton, performing experiments and exploring the nocturnal habits of marine life. Ages 9+ (ages 9-13 must be accompanied by a paid adult) RSVP Required: 858-534-7336 or online at aquarium.ucsd.edu Public: $25 About Birch Aquarium at Scripps: Birch Aquarium at Scripps is the public exploration center for the world-renowned Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. Perched on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the aquarium features more than 60 habitats of fish and invertebrates from the cold waters of the Pacific Northwest to the tropical waters of Mexico and the Caribbean. An interactive museum showcases research discoveries by Scripps scientists on climate, earth and ocean science. Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Birch Aquarium has an annual attendance of more than 410,000, including 45,000 school children. # # # Note to broadcast and cable producers: University of California, San Diego provides an on-campus satellite uplink facility for live or pre-recorded television interviews. Please phone or e-mail the media contact listed above to arrange an interview. Scripps Institution of Oceanography, at University of California, San Diego, is one of the oldest, largest and most important centers for global science research and education in the world. The National Research Council has ranked Scripps first in faculty quality among oceanography programs nationwide Now in its second century of discovery, the scientific scope of the institution has grown to include biological, physical, chemical, geological, geophysical and atmospheric studies of the earth as a system. Hundreds of research programs covering a wide range of scientific areas are under way today in 65 countries. The institution has a staff of about 1,300, and annual expenditures of approximately $155 million from federal, state and private sources. Scripps operates one of the largest U.S. academic fleets with four oceanographic research ships and one research platform for worldwide exploration. |
|
