How do otters find food?
Why do sharks change their behavior?
For anyone who has ever wondered about that, or for those who are curious about how an aquarium staff cares for its wide range of Pacific Northwest sea creatures — from fur seals to salmon — the Seattle Aquarium’s Winter Break Fantastic Fishtival, running today through Jan. 6, will have the answers.
The aquarium offers the 10-day festival so families seeking animal-related, indoor, educational fun have plenty of time to do so, between all their holiday festivities.
“There are certain times for the talks and demonstrations, but things like the craft activities go on throughout the days,” said Laura Austin, communications specialist for the aquarium. “And these activities are all in addition to our normal feedings that people can watch, and other talks that go on.”
The Fishtival demonstrations, Austin said, vary by day, as each day features a different animal. While the various demonstration tables are suited to various age groups, other activities are one-size-fits-all.
“On Otter Day, for instance, we might do something like give all the kids mittens, or something for their hands, and direct them to a table that’s covered with rice, where they can feel around in the rice, as an otter would do, underwater, to find food,” Austin explained, noting that the food-finding process is an example of a “real-life” situation for the animals.
“We also might have a fishing game, for younger kids, that has to do with the sharks,” she said. “They pull out these plush sharks, put a tag on them, and then get to do things like measure the sharks, as a scientist would do in real life.”
While most days of the Fishtival are dedicated to specific animals, Jan. 1, called “Animals With Shells Day,” is set aside for a whole range of such creatures as clams, scallops and moon snails.
The Fishtival activities are free with admission, and take place in addition to the usual variety of things visitors can do at the aquarium, like watching and speaking with the divers who feed the animals.
Another ongoing attraction open to visitors is the Aquarium’s new 120,000-gallon tank exhibit called “Windows on Washington Waters,” which features Northwest fish and other invertebrates, like Coho salmon, rock fish, ling cod and sea stars.
And, Austin noted, the displays and talks are not meant only for young visitors.
“Adults, if they’re open to it, can certainly learn something,” she said. “And our talks not only teach about the animals, but also are geared to learning about conservation, since that’s a big part of the aquarium’s mission.”
Finally, Austin mentioned that since each day of this annual event has many individual parts, prospective visitors may want to check the schedule on the Web site before heading out, to be sure they catch the parts they especially want to attend.
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