September 3, 2016 Every animal in our care is observed closely every day during routine feedings, exhibit maintenance and cleanings, and programs. The health of our animals is our main concern. Aquatic animals however, can be difficult to assess. Many fishes do not eat every day, some…
August 25, 2016 Several VLM staff members from three departments recently headed to Chincoteague over two day-long sessions in May to help the Nature Conservancy construct artificial oyster reefs out of concrete “castles”. Staff and volunteers met at Chincoteague wild and beautiful USFWS National Wildlife Refuge…
The Virginia Living Museum relies heavily on its large corps of volunteers and interns, many of which come from local high schools and colleges. In fact, over 40% of VLM employees were once volunteers here as well. Recently we hosted Julia Horigan from Deep Creek…
Watch this video of nurse shark entering tank. Our relationship with “Fred” began with an email. Our aquarium professionals’ list-serve occasionally includes postings for animals that need to be rehoused for a variety of reasons. Most of these fishes have outgrown their tanks at…
The VLM curatorial staff dedicates countless hours caring for the animals in our care and inevitably gets emotionally attached to them. Some animals, such as our loggerhead sea turtles, become instant favorites. It is a privilege to raise these rare and ancient creatures, but they…
The VLM is part of the lined seahorse SSP (Species Survival Plan), as part of the goal to “cooperatively manage specific, and typically threatened or endangered, species populations” by breeding seahorses at our facility and sharing/exchanging surplus with other institutions involved in the SSP. A major part of any…
On the morning of May 1, 2015, animal keeper/trainer Carrie Bridgman found a lethargic and seemingly dazed ruby throated hummingbird inside the River Otter exhibit. She brought the beautiful little creature inside our husbandry building to allow the otters into the exhibit without them having…
Oyster reefs are one of the most productive habitats in the Chesapeake Bay; hundreds of species of aquatic plants and animals grow on and among their shells. The oysters themselves improve water quality and clarity by filtering sediment and plankton out of the water. The…
The VLM displays a variety of jelly species: moon jellies, sea nettles and lion’s mane. Fortunately for us, we are surrounded by the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Several species of jellies are native here and tend to follow salinity and temperature conditions that best…
There are no places on Earth more foreign to humans than the depths of our oceans. The extreme pressure alone prohibits any normal vehicle from exploring their depths; but add to that the sheer enormity of space – almost 80% of the Earth’s livable environments…