Fascinating Facts

Insider secrets provided by our knowledgeable staff and volunteers. View Web Version   Buy Tickets The Secrets of Blacktip Reef Even if you spent a full day in the National Aquarium's Blacktip Reef exhibit, you would never learn all of the fascinating facts about its 779 animals, which range from blacktip reef sharks and tasseled wobbegongs to a 500-pound green sea turtle and honeycomb stingrays. But thanks to these insider secrets provided by our knowledgeable staff and volunteers, you're about to know more than most. 1. Our blacktip reef sharks are longtime buddies. One of the unique characteristics about blacktip reef sharks is their camaraderie. These big fish often swim in schools in the wild, and our collection of 20 is no different. They lived together in our Animal Care Center for 18 months before moving into their new home in Blacktip Reef, giving them plenty of bonding time before the big day. 2. Calypso is a foodie. Many visitors think Calypso, our beloved 500-pound green sea turtle, eats only lettuce. While she does consume her fair share of romaine, Calypso also enjoys sweet potatoes, carrots, Brussels sprouts and squid. 3. Zebra sharks are spotted, not striped. The zebra sharks found in Blacktip Reef don't appear to have stripes at all, but that wasn't always the case. As juveniles, zebra sharks—often mistakenly called leopard sharks—have dark bodies with yellowish stripes. This pattern transforms into small dark spots on a grayish-tan background as they age. 4. You can visit the sharks online. Check in on Calypso and our school of blacktip reef sharks online with our Shark Cam, which captures all the underwater excitement in real time. Buy Tickets » Google+ Hangout with Fabien Cousteau Today at 3:30pm EST: Join our underwater Google+ Hangout with Fabien Cousteau, as he breaks new ground in ocean exploration by spending 31 days living and working in the world's only underwater research lab! Watch Here » 501 East Pratt Street • Baltimore, MD 21202 National Aquarium is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire conservation of the world's aquatic treasures. You are subscribed as: turlbombeiro@gmail.com You are receiving this message because you have signed up to receive email from the National Aquarium. To change the number of emails sent, or to unsubscribe completely, please manage your preferences.