You know the Shedd Aquarium as one of the best Chicago attractions—the home of sharks, dolphins (including a baby dolphin set to be named in a forthcoming Shedd contest), sea lions and countless other amazing animals. But did you ever think about how some of these mesmerizing sea creatures got here? Shedd’s Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Program has saved more than 40 critically endangered animal species across the world. These are five things you probably didn’t know about the world-class aquarium in your backyard.
1. The aquarium has a blind sea lion. Of the many aquatic animals saved by Shedd, Cruz the sea lion is the the first blind marine mammal to be rehabilitated there. He was just a pup when he was found alone on the California coast, lethargic and blind in both eyes. Medical examination revealed that he had been shot—he had metal shards from gunshot wounds in his skull. The Marine Mammal Center in California nursed the little guy back to health, and Shedd offered to provide him with long-term care in 2012. Since then, Cruz has been trained to respond to audio cues rather than visual targets.
Photograph: Brenna Hernandez
2. Sea turtles can feel through their shells. Nickel the sea turtle is proof. This week, we watched in awe as the turtle swam to one of its keepers for a bit of bok choy (she’s a vegetarian, after all) and to have her shell scratched with a scrub brush. No joke. In 2003, Nickel was found struggling off the coast of Florida. She was thin, weak and couldn’t paddle her hind feet. She also had a deep gash along her upper shell—the mark of a boat propeller. Working with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Mission, Shedd brought Nickel to the aquarium. She still swims with her “butt” in the air, but she has a lot more strength these days, navigating her large tank full of friendly fish and stingrays with ease.
3. A lizard at the aquarium recently got a new leg, thanks to 3-D printing. The little guy, lovingly referred to as Hiss Majesty, had his leg amputated when it was discovered that he had cancer. Now, experts at the aquarium are working on an even more advanced prototype for Hiss, one that has joints.
4. Yes, Shedd has its own animal hospital, but it also has a little something called the Microbiome Project. It's the world’s first comprehensive look at microbiomes in a controlled aquarium ecosystem. Staff at the aquarium continue to look at how these influence complex environmental conditions and animal health, doing everything from measuring sound and light to testing salt content and water hardness.
5. Shedd staff travel internationally on rescue missions. In 2001, the aquarium joined an international effort to rehabilitate more than 20,000 African penguins from a large colony of endangered penguins that were oiled when a cargo ship sank off the coast of South Africa. In 2004, two members of Shedd’s team headed to Cape Town to help rehabilitate more than 500 endangered birds.
Photograph: Courtesy Shedd Aquarium
This year, Shedd is launching a new awareness campaign as part of its Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Program. Soon, the public will be invited to become “Sheddvocates” to help further the aquarium’s message. More information on that program will be available later this year.