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ROOKERY BAY
ROOKERY BAY
ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING CENTER
Unveils New Marine Life Exhibit
T hree new marine animals are now
in residence at the Rookery Bay
Environmental Learning Center for
the public to see. The new aquarium exhibit
allows visitors to safely observe moon jellies a stunningly beautiful, flowing curtain that
that are commonly found in local waters.
Dave Graff, an education specialist for
Rookery Bay Research Reserve, introduced
the exhibit to the Learning Center to
help educate visitors about these unique
creatures that are not often viewed in such
close proximity.
“Displaying moon jellies in this tank
can help visitors gain an appreciation for
the beauty of these animals that they once
feared,” Graff said.
Although these jellies can grow to
the size of a large dinner plate, they are
considered plankton because they drift
through the ocean along with the current.
The new circular jelly tank is designed to
keep the planktonic animals suspended
in the water column, and it also includes
specialized lighting that illuminates the
animal’s iridescent bodies in soft color as
they glide through the water.
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Through the new exhibit, visitors can
appreciate the graceful pulses of the moon
jellies as they move and feed. The ring of
tentacles dangling below the jellies create
stings and entraps any tiny animal that they
bump into. However, contrary to common
misconceptions, moon jelly stings are
relatively mild to human skin.
Moon jellies can be found in waters from
the Caribbean all the way up to Maine,
and are seasonally abundant in Rookery
Bay. Now they can be seen up close in the
Learning Center.
The Environmental Learning Center
is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through
Friday, with Saturday hours October through
April. The two-story visitor center features
educational films, an art gallery, gift shop
and a nature trail with a viewing platform.
Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for kids 6 –
12, and free for children under 6 and Friends appetizers. Registration is required at
of Rookery Bay members. The Learning
Center is located at 300 Tower Road, one
mile south of the intersection of US 41 and
Collier Boulevard.
TALES FROM
THE COAST
J oin the Friends of Rookery Bay
for Tales from the Coast, a series
of informal evening programs
with stories about science, nature and
adventure. On January 11, pre-eminent
photographer Clyde Butcher will share
experiences and images from more than
50 years spent creating exquisite black and
white photographs of untouched natural
landscapes of North America. On February
9, hear from Dr. Ellen Prager, a marine
scientist and author widely recognized
for her expertise and ability to make
science entertaining and understandable
for people of all ages. She currently works
as a freelance writer, consultant, and
science advisor to Celebrity Xpedition in
the Galapagos Islands. Held at Rookery
Bay Environmental Learning Center,
the evenings will include beer, wine and
www.rookerybay.org/calendar.
Life in Naples | December 2016