An Ocean of Conservation

The Gumbo Limbo Nature Center simply couldn't wait to celebrate World Ocean Day.

With June 8 falling on a Monday this year, Gumbo Limbo elected to hold their Ocean Day celebration one day early, allowing community members to add the event to their weekend plans.

Judging by attendance figures, the plan worked. More than 800 visitors aged from the young to senior citizens attended the four-hour event.

Joy Levine turned to AI for a way to entertain a visiting friend. When a suggestion for Gumbo Limbo's World Ocean Day was presented, their decision became easy.

“We thought it would be a lovely way to spend the day,” Levine said. “The people in there are very knowledgeable. The FAU students – I learned a lot in just a short period of time.”

Throughout the day visitors were treated to various educational and entertaining presentations. The feedings at both the small and large tanks were favorites. Prior to each feeding, educators made presentations detailing the kinds of fish that live in the tanks, often providing interesting facts about many of them.

Throughout the day, children could create their own ocean-based crafts.

Conservation served as a constant theme. Upon entering the center visitors encountered a room full of presenters offering different ideas to help keep waste from entering the oceans. Other presenters detailed actions to protect ocean residents such as sea turtles and coral reefs.

“I love conservation efforts and I love aquariums,” said Daniel McSweeney, who elected to stop by Gumbo Limbo and was pleasantly surprised they were celebrating Ocean Day early. “This is definitely a full combination of both.”