Camouflage, exoskeletons and other amazing adaptations on display at Save The Bay’s Exploration Center and Aquarium this October
NEWPORT, R.I. – Oct. 1, 2018 – Explore the amazing adaptations of Narragansett Bay marine life at Save The Bay’s Exploration Center and Aquarium this October! Visitors to the center will learn about adaptations, also known as adaptive traits, from skilled aquarium staff by participating in planned daily activities and by observing the adaptations of the 40+ species housed in the center’s exhibits.
Adaptations are characteristics that enable a species to survive and thrive in its ecosystem. The flounder’s ability to change colors and patterns to blend in with surrounding terrain is an adaptation. The big eye fish’s ability to “disappear” in deep waters thanks to its coloration is another. The stargazer fish has two eyes protruding from the top of its head, allowing it to hide in the sand while keeping a lookout for predators. All of these creatures—and their adaptations—can be found in both the waters of Narragansett Bay and at the Exploration Center and Aquarium. Guests of all ages will enjoy identifying the hundreds of adaptations on display at the aquarium, and younger guests will delight in this month’s Amazing Adaptations-themed craft, story time and scavenger hunt.
Guests visiting Save The Bay’s Exploration Center and Aquarium in the upcoming weeks will also catch a glimpse of a rare new arrival: a blue lobster. Recently donated to the aquarium by a local educator, the blue lobster is a one-in-a-million specimen. Lobsters are usually dark in color (most often green- or blue-brown), an adaptation that allows them to blend in with their surroundings on the ocean floor. However, pigmentation and protein anomalies can result in a number of atypically-colored shells, including calico, white and yellow. These rare lobsters are unable to camouflage with their surroundings—likely contributing to their infrequent numbers.
To see more Bay creatures in action, guests are encouraged to purchase tickets to this month’s Feeding Frenzy at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 18. This exciting after-hours event allows guests to get involved with the aquarium creatures’ favorite time of day: feeding time. Buy your $10 tickets ($8 for members) at savebay.org/feedingfrenzy and come see what all the splashing is about!
The Exploration Center and Aquarium is located in the Easton’s Beach Rotunda at 175 Memorial Blvd. in Newport, Rhode Island. The center is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday-Sunday, from Labor Day to Memorial Day. The center will be closed on Sunday, Oct. 7 due to the Newport Marathon, but open on Monday, Oct. 8 (Columbus Day). General admission is $8, and $7 for military and senior citizens. Save The Bay Family Members can enjoy FREE admission for two adults and up to four children.
About Save The Bay: Founded in 1970, Save The Bay works to protect and improve Narragansett Bay and its watershed through advocacy, education, and restoration efforts. It envisions a swimmable, fishable, healthy Narragansett Bay, accessible to everyone and globally recognized as an environmental treasure.