The National Aquarium and the National Wildlife Federation have joined forces to protect wildlife and water resources for future generations. Approved by unanimous vote at the most recent Board of Directors meeting, the National Aquarium has been selected as the National Wildlife Federation’s Maryland affiliate. This partnership will link conservation efforts from Appalachia, to the Chesapeake Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to align the efforts of this nation’s aquarium with one of its most effective conservation organizations,” said John Racanelli, CEO of the National Aquarium. “The National Aquarium team has worked tirelessly over the past 30 years to preserve and protect the Chesapeake Bay, in that time restoring 155 acres of bay shorelines with 1.4 million individual native plants, shrubs and trees. This exciting new alliance will allow us to further expand our reach and strengthen our impact.”

“We are delighted to welcome the National Aquarium into the Federation’s family of 48 affiliates,” said Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of National Wildlife Federation. “The National Aquarium is the trusted voice of the aquatic world, filling visitors with a sense of wonder, educating them about the threats to our oceans and water resources, and inspiring them to take individual action.”

Maryland is part of NWF’s Chesapeake Mid-Atlantic region, one of nine such regions throughout the United States. Affiliates in each region work together and with partners to advance conservation and protect the region’s unique natural treasures. The Mid-Atlantic region includes Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina.

“The National Aquarium will be a great addition to our region-wide efforts to conserve our resources and to connect families with the natural world,” said Tony Caligiuri, NWF Mid-Atlantic regional executive director. “We’re already collaborating on important efforts to restore the Chesapeake Bay and look forward to working together ensure that aquatic habitats are preserved for future generations.”

“Both of our organizations are dedicated to inspiring people to take an active role in protecting our natural resources,” said Laura Bankey, director of conservation at the National Aquarium. “We are excited about the national impact we will have by joining together to protect and restore our ecosystems.”

National Wildlife Federation, founded 75 years ago, has 4 million members and supporters nationwide. Affiliate representatives elect the NWF Board of Directors and set the organization’s policy objectives in the form of resolutions. NWF has more than 82,000 members and supporters in Maryland.

Washington, DC – On Tuesday, June 28, Dr. Erik Rifkin, Executive Director of the National Aquarium Conservation Center was invited to provide testimony to the U.S. Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works: Subcommittee on Water and Wildlife. The hearing, entitled, “Status of the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment” focused on the evaluation and improvement of our ability to measure long-term chronic damages to our environment in the wake of last year’s oil spill.

On Sunday, June 26, a group of rehabilitated Kemp’s ridley sea turtles were released into the Chesapeake Bay at Point Lookout State Park in Scotland, Maryland. The public gathered on the beach to join in the festivities.

The turtles came to the National Aquarium in December from the New England Aquarium, after they were found stranded along Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Kemp’s ridley turtles are the most endangered and the smallest of all the sea turtle species, which makes them particularly vulnerable to severe changes in water temperature. They all suffered from cold stunning – the sea turtle equivalent of hypothermia.

After 6 months of rehabilitation by The National Aquarium’s Marine Animal Rescue Program (MARP), the turtles, Donner, Blitzen, Rudolph, Frosty, and Buddy(the elf), were nursed back to health and ready to be released back to the ocean. They all enjoyed a diet of capelin, shrimp, squid, and mussels at the National Aquarium and nearly doubled in body weight.

The turtles were outfitted with a satellite transmitter that allows us to track the location and speed of the turtles following the release. These tags help researchers learn more about sea turtle migration and travel patterns. The public is invited to follow the turtles’ progress by viewing a satellite map of their travels.

Since Kemp’s ridley sea turtles commonly utilize the Chesapeake Bay during the warm summer months to feed on an assortment of jellies and invertebrates, Aquarium officials felt this was the best time and location to release the turtles and to prepare for the possibility of new patients. The turtles are expected to stay in the Mid-Atlantic region or head north for the summer.

Oceana joined the Aquarium to help educate people on their save the sea turtles campaign, which is dedicated to the protection and restoration of sea turtle populations in the world’s oceans. The campaign works to reduce sea turtle bycatch in fisheries, protect sea turtle habitat and develop legislation to protect sea turtles. The National Aquarium and Oceana have similar goals; to protect and conserve sea turtle populations for future generations.

Many of MARP’s patients are sick or injured due to human-related problems like boat strikes, gear entanglement or plastic ingestion. Weather, malnourishment, exhaustion and pollution also contribute to strandings.

Rescuing and studying stranded animals provides vital information about the status of the ocean and coastal environments, as well as the biology and health of the animals that live in those environments.

The public is invited to help with the National Aquarium’s marine animal rehabilitation efforts. Txt ACT to 20222 to make a $5 donation. Msg & data rates apply or visit aqua.org.

These turtles were the 89th, 90th, 91st, 92nd, and 93rd animals released by the National Aquarium’s
MARP program. Formed in 1991 and staffed almost entirely by volunteers, the Marine Animal
Rescue program has responded to hundreds of strandings, including seals, dolphins and endangered
sea turtles, and to sightings of manatees, dolphins and other marine mammals.

At an event hosted by the Green Building Institute in Jessup last week, the National Aquarium was one of five organizations to receive the second-annual Maryland Green Registry Leadership Award. The award was presented by Maryland Department of Environment Secretary Robert Summers, along with Maryland Department of Natural Resources Deputy Secretary Joe Gill and Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development Clean Technology and Sustainability Manager Elaine McCubbin.

Washington, DC – February 14 – The National Aquarium is excited to introduce the Fresh Thoughts: Sustainable Seafood Dining Series at its Washington D.C. venue this March. This new series will celebrate sensible and scrumptious seafood choices with the help of renowned Washington DC chefs. The first of the dining experiences will introduce a fish whose taste is distinctive as its story; the invasive Red Lionfish. As part of a growing stategy coined Eat ‘Em to Beat ‘Em, the National Aquarium will embark on a week-long trip to the Bahamas on February 20, 2011 with Chef Xavier Deshayes, Executive Chef for the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, to collect, prepare and ship the fish that will be served just days later at the Aquarium’s first Fresh Thoughts dinner.