Darienite (https://darienite.com/category/animals)
Food. Fireworks. Parties. While many people love the July 4 holiday, it can be traumatic for pets who have a phobic reaction to the loud sights and sounds that are synonymous with Independence Day celebrations. — an announcement from Best Friends Animal Society
With dogs and cats getting spooked and running away from yards, doors, and even screened windows to escape the chaos, the day can go from being festive to fraught for pet owners, too.
The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk is hosting a seal-a-bration you won’t want to miss in recognition of harbor seal pup Sono’s first birthday! Stop by the Aquarium April 5 to 7 for special offerings — including free admission for those born on April 5, Sono’s birthday. — an announcement from The Maritime Aquarium
“Watching Sono grow over the past year has been a joy for our Animal Husbandry team,” said Rachel Stein, the Aquarium’s director of animal husbandry. “His curious personality, which delights staff and guests alike, has quickly made him one of our most popular animals at the Aquarium.”
Guests will have the opportunity to make a birthday hat craft, get their faces painted, sign a jumbo birthday card for Sono, enjoy limited edition treats, and receive a commemorative party favor. They can also join the Animal Husbandry team in singing “Happy Birthday” during seal training demonstrations at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m.
Sono was named after the neighborhood of South Norwalk, where the Aquarium is located and he was born.
The Western Connecticut State University Tickborne Disease Prevention Laboratory is recruiting Connecticut residents for a short 5-minute survey aimed at understanding backyard lawn maintenance practices. — an announcement from WCSU
The goal of this survey is to gain insights into how people manage their lawns and the potential implications it may have on blacklegged tick movement at the backyard edge and tickborne diseases. The information collected will be utilized in a master’s thesis project focused on evaluating the correlation between mowing practices and blacklegged tick behavior. The anonymous survey is targeted toward individuals aged 18 and older who reside in Connecticut. Interested participants can access the survey here.
Are you ready for it? Following a swift dive to the bottom of The Maritime Aquarium’s harbor seal habitat, Rasal picked up a red toy torpedo, signifying her prediction that the Kansas City Chiefs will win Super Bowl LVIII. — an announcement from The Maritime Aquarium
Rasal has a reputation to protect this year after correctly predicting the Kansas City Chiefs to win in 2023. Her current record is 2-3. Overall, the Aquarium’s seals have a 5-7 record.
Ever wonder what Earth was like 200 million years ago? Visit The Maritime Aquarium’s new Sturgeon Touch Tank for an up-close encounter with Atlantic sturgeon, whose ancestors swam through the water long before dinosaurs roamed. — an announcement from The Maritime Aquarium
“We are particularly excited about this new exhibit because it is especially rare — only a few aquariums in the nation have sturgeon touch tanks,” said President and CEO Jason Patlis. “We hope visitors come and enjoy this very unique experience and learn about a very unique species.”
Once abundant, Atlantic sturgeon were harmed by over-fishing, pollution, and dams blocking river routes. Today, these fish are classified as an endangered species and there are conservation efforts being made on both the federal and state levels to protect them.
At 11:36 a.m. on April 5, Gracie became mother to a son, Sono, at The Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk. Both harbor seals are said to be doing just fine. — based on an announcement from The Maritime Aquarium
Sono weighed in at 18 lbs., 2 ounces, and has already gained nearly 15 pounds. He’s growing bigger every day. Sono was 30 inches long at birth.
The Maritime Aquarium is currently seeking volunteers to join its Terrapin Tracking Team to protect Northern Diamondback Terrapins, a species of concern in the State of Connecticut. Virtual training sessions will be held on Tuesday, March 28, and Monday, April 3 at 7 p.m. for those interested in joining the team. — an announcement from The Maritime Aquarium
“As a species of concern in Connecticut, Northern Diamondback Terrapins population is considered low and at risk without human intervention,” said Tom Naiman, vice president of education at the aquarium. “Community scientists who join our Terrapin Tracking Team will play a critical role is monitoring our local population, which will inform scientists who study local ecosystems,” Naiman said. These terrapins can be found in the brackish water off the coast.
SPCA of Connecticut in Monroe is closing. Some are sad. Others are relieved. The property where the shelter operates at 359 Spring Hill Rd in Monroe is under foreclosure and going to Auction on May 6, 2023. — This article was originally published by GreenwichFreePress.com.
In a 6-yard rush from the bottom of Pinniped Cove to the surface of the water, Rasal made her Super Bowl LVII pick at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk. — an announcement from The Maritime Aquarium
“Rasal’s Super Bowl pick is something we look forward to every year at the Aquarium,”said Senior Trainer Dylan Salamone. “This year was especially exciting because she learned a new behavior — an underwater retrieval — to make her pick. Like the players in Sunday’s big game, she trained for this moment for weeks!”
Rasal’s pick: the Kansas City Chiefs. Losing out: the Philadelphia Eagles.
Halloween is almost here, and to prevent this holiday from becoming a scary one for you and your pets, it’s important to consider common activities and items that can be dangerous to your furry friends. — an announcement from Best Friends Animal Society
Here are some basic precautions for pet owners to keep pets safe on Halloween:
Pets should be kept inside during Halloween, if trick-or-treating is happening in your community. Use caution when answering the door so your cat or dog doesn’t dart outside. If the extra door knocking or doorbell ringing stresses out your pets, put them in a quiet room away from the noise. Make sure your pets have current ID tags and that microchip info is up to date, just in case they do escape.
One of nature’s oldest – but diminishing – beach mating rituals is about to begin its annual springtime cycle, and The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk needs volunteers to help document it. — an announcement from the Maritime Aquarium
During the new and full moons each spring, horseshoe crabs come up out of Long Island Sound to spawn in the sand. It’s a perfect time to place tags on the animals for an ongoing horseshoe crab census, which has helped to show a steady decrease in their local population. Despite this decrease, enough crabs still come ashore that the Aquarium staff needs volunteers to help. “Joining this effort helps to provide important data about this amazing creature, which has survived since before the time of the dinosaurs but whose numbers are struggling,” said Bridget Cervero, Senior Education Manager for the Aquarium.
New Canaan police say residents in that town reported a black bear Tuesday morning, just north of the Merritt Parkway in the area of Old Stamford Road (Route 106), which becomes Hoyt Street in Darien. — This article was originally published by NewCanaanite.com. Black bears typically breed in late June or early July, according to the state. During that time, males travel extensively in search of females. In New Canaan, bear sightings are reported to police all throughout town.
Enjoy a guided deep dive into the amazing world of octopuses, squid and their inky ilk on Tuesday, June 14 as public radio’s “Science Friday” founder and host Ira Flatow celebrates “Cephalopod Movie Night” with a special lineup of films and experts at The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk. — an announcement from The Maritime Aquarium
Tickets are on sale now for the family-friendly event, hosted in-person by Flatow and offering a fun and informative focus on cephalopods, the fascinating class of mollusks that includes the octopus, squid, cuttlefish and nautilus. Through short documentaries produced by “Science Friday” and from in-person experts, guests will learn the latest discoveries about cephalopod adaptations and behaviors, and get insights into their care at The Maritime Aquarium. The event, which includes a pre-show meet-and-greet with Flatow, is presented by “Science Friday” with The Maritime Aquarium and Connecticut Public. Sharing their expertise with Flatow and the audience will be Barrett Christie, the Aquarium’s Director of Animal Husbandry, who will explain what it’s like to work with and care for octopuses.
Volunteers along coastal communities are needed by The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk to help collect data on a turtle whose population is of special concern in Connecticut, the diamondback terrapin. — an announcement from The Maritime Aquarium
The Maritime Aquarium is recruiting volunteers to train for the “Terrapin Tracker” program, a special initiative whose goal is to better understand where diamondback terrapins live and to potentially add protective measures along coastal roads. Registration is open now for virtual trainings on March 23 and 29. The diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys t. terrapin) is the only turtle along the U.S. Atlantic Coast that spends its life in the brackish water of salt marshes and tidal creeks. They’re named for the diamond-shaped pattern atop their top shell.
New Canaan police say a cat abandoned amid freezing temperatures at an Interstate 95 rest stop is in need of surgery and rehabilitation. — This article combines information and text published by NewCanaanite.com and information from New Canaan Patch. New Canaan Animal Control Officer Allyson Halm said she was contacted to assist the cat, even though the rest stop is in Darien, because the Darien animal control officer wasn’t available at the time, New Canaan Patch reported. Police were called in on Jan. 24.
Connecticut’s only mob of meerkats — the popular family unit in The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk — is moving into a big new exhibit that connects their desert story to the influences of the ocean on climate and weather. — an announcement from The Maritime Aquarium
Beginning Dec. 26, The Maritime Aquarium’s meerkats move upstairs into an exhibit twice as large as their original display. The new exhibit replicates the animals’ native African-desert habitat and offers the meerkats many new opportunities for climbing, digging and exploring. Plus, three viewing “bubbles” will give guests the chance to pop up right among the meerkats.