Weekly News Digest from Mote

A new sea turtle named “Caleb” is now on exhibit publicly in The Aquarium at Mote Marine Laboratory, which is providing the turtle a permanent home because it has impaired swimming abilities and cannot be returned to the wild.

Caleb is the first Kemp’s ridley turtle — considered the most endangered sea turtle species on Earth — to become a permanent resident in Mote’s exhibit Sea Turtles: Ancient Survivors. The exhibit also houses loggerhead and green turtles that could not be released, has a hospital for hatchling sea turtles and features educational displays about Mote’s sea turtle conservation and research, highlighting how the public can help sea turtles survive.

Caleb, a new sea turtle in The Aquarium at Mote Marine Laboratory, is fed by Holly West, Mote's Sea Turtle Care Coordinator (Photo credit: Mote Marine Laboratory).

• High-res photos are available to media.  Please contact Hayley at hrutger@mote.org or 941-374-0081.
  

“Caleb doesn’t have that full range of movement he’d need to survive in the wild — the ability to undergo long migrations and avoid boats or predators,” said Holly West, Sea Turtle Care Coordinator in The Aquarium at Mote. “We are glad to provide him a permanent home where we can work with him to improve his swimming abilities and where he can help educate the public about this endangered species."

Caleb arrived at Mote in December and stayed for about one month behind the scenes in Mote’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital, to ensure the turtle was healthy and adjusting to the new environment enough to be on exhibit. The turtle is now settling into the public exhibit, and caregivers are monitoring its condition closely.

“Caleb has adjusted nicely to the new habitat and continues to eat well,” West said.

The turtle will serve as an ambassador for its species, helping Mote visitors of all ages learn about Kemp’s ridleys. Mote caregivers hope to train Caleb in husbandry behaviors designed to help the turtle’s veterinary care run as smoothly as possible. Eventually they hope to train Caleb to participate in research that helps reveal how sea turtles sense their underwater world.

Visitors to The Aquarium at Mote Marine Laboratory can now charge their electric vehicles and learn how much solar energy Mote is capturing thanks to new equipment installed this month as part of Mote’s Sustainable Energy Initiative.

Charging Station
The vehicle charging station, located at the northwestern corner of The Aquaruim’s main parking lot, is the first ever for Mote and the second charger on City Island, Sarasota, which also has a county-owned charging station at Ken Thompson Park.

Mote’s station is currently free to the public thanks to Mote volunteer Nigel Mould, an electric-vehicle owner who is funding its operation for two years.

Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium  volunteer Nigel Mould charges his electric car at a new charging station in the Mote parking lot. The station is free for visitors for two years thanks to Mould's support (Photo credit: Mote Marine Laboratory).

• High-res photos are available to media.  Please contact Hayley at hrutger@mote.org or 941-374-0081.

The station, which can charge two vehicles at a time, is part of ChargePoint — the largest online charging network in the world. Electric vehicle users can operate the station by swiping a ChargePoint card or a credit card containing a radio frequency ID chip that is standard with most cards (free stations like the one at Mote will not charge your card).

• Find the charging station, “Mote Marine / Laboratory 01,” and view its details such as voltage and amperage by visiting www.chargepoint.net, clicking “Find Stations” and searching for Mote’s address: 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL, 34236.

Solar Monitor
In 2012, Mote mounted new solar energy systems on two of our buildings, thanks to generous donations by Willis A. Smith Construction, Inc. and local solar supporter Jim Lampl.

Now, visitors can learn how much energy we are capturing from sunlight, and how this sustainable system is helping offset emissions of carbon dioxide, through a solar-power monitoring system mounted this month in The Aquarium

View our new solar monitor on the second floor of The Aquarium’s Ann and Alfred Goldstein Marine Mammal Research and Rehabilitation Center, 1703 Ken Thompson Parkway (the same facility with the large array of solar panels on the roof).

Learn more about Mote’s Sustainable Energy Initiative, and how you can help, at www.mote.org/energy.

Wednesday, Jan. 30
Mote Coral Expert to Speak and Sundance Film Festival Entry on Coral to be Screened at South Florida Museum
Learn about coral reefs from a Mote scientist and discover their beauty in a whole new way from 7- 9 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 30. at South Florida Museum in Bradenton.

See the limited-run planetarium show Coral: Rekindling Venus and explore coral conservation issues during a conversation with Dr. Kim Ritchie, manager of the Marine Microbiology Program at Mote. Ritchie will offer insights into coral reef conservation issues such as climate change, invasive species and the important role that corals play in the oceans.

South Florida Museum is screening Coral: Rekindling Venus, a Sundance Film Festival entry, through Sunday, Feb. 17 in the Bishop Planetarium Theater. This immersive dome installation is co-presented by the Sundance Film Festival and created by artist Lynette Wallworth. Corals come to life in this beautiful exploration of coral reef ecosystems and their current struggles.

Tickets to Dr. Ritchie’s presentation are $3 and are free for South Florida Museum members. Visit www.SouthFloridaMuseum.org or call 941-746-4131 ext. 0 to RSVP or purchase tickets. Coral: Rekindling Venus will also be presented Monday - Friday at 2:15 p.m., Saturday at 11:15 a.m. and Sunday at 2:15 p.m. through Feb. 17 and is included with Museum admission.

Feb. 13
New Volunteers Needed at Mote: Learn More at Coffee Reception
Now’s your chance to share the wonders of the sea by becoming a Mote volunteer. Join us from 10 a.m.-noon on Wednesday, Feb. 13 for a casual coffee reception and open house that allows you to meet area residents and snowbirds who volunteer at Mote.

The reception is in the Jean Purcell Hendry Conference Hall at Mote's Ann and Alfred Goldstein Marine Mammal Research and Rehabilitation Center, 1703 Ken Thompson Parkway in Sarasota.

Mote seeks Aquarium volunteers to greet and assist guests at our admissions, membership and welcome desks, to help in our gift shops and to educate visitors about our exhibits and animals. Volunteers are the lifeblood of Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium, supporting everything from cutting-edge marine science and education to administration and outreach.

Volunteers at Mote receive special training sessions with Mote scientists and staff and enjoy The Aquarium at Mote for free. Learn more about volunteer opportunities at: www.mote.org/volunteer

For more information and to RSVP for the reception, contact Lisa Kinsella at 941-388-4441, ext. 438, or lkinsella@mote.org. Current available positions are for ages 18 and older.

Reminder: Photo/Video Op for Media on Feb. 8

• What: Mote’s manatees and sea turtles will enjoy heart-shaped ice treats in advance of the holiday — a photo op that’ll melt any heart!
• When: Noon on Friday, Feb. 8.
• Where: Mote’s Ann and Alfred Goldstein Marine Mammal Research and Rehabilitation Center, 1703 Ken Thompson Parkway in Sarasota. Join us downstairs in the sea turtle exhibit.
• RSVP Required: Contact Hayley Rutger at hrutger@mote.org or 941-374-0081.

• Get Cheek-to-Cheek with Sea Lions: Meet three Patagonian sea lions in the limited-time exhibit Sea Lions: On The Water’s Edge in The Aquarium at Mote, which is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 365 days per year, including Valentine’s Day, Feb 14. Visiting the sea lions is free with admission, and guests can get their picture taken right alongside these furry marine mammals for an additional fee. Pictures start at $10 for a 4-by-6 inch photo.
  Learn more about the exhibit and see Aquarium admission rates at www.mote.org/sealions.

Stella, a Patagonian sea lion, is now featured in Sea Lions: On The Water's Edge in The Aquarium at Mote Marine Laboratory. (Credit photo to Heather Tiffany/Mote Marine Laboratory)

• Show Your Love by Adopting an Animal: For as little as $30, you can “give” your valentine a manatee, sea turtle, shark or other marine animal in The Aquarium at Mote. The lucky recipient will get a downloadable adoption certificate, photo and fact sheet about their animal. You can also choose one of our higher-level adoption packages that come with other great benefits. ($30 gift adoptions are available instantly via Web, while higher level adoptions include special gift items that will take about one week to arrive by mail.) Visit www.mote.org/adopt.

The Aquarium at Mote provides a lifelong home for two resident manatees, a pantropical spotted dolphin, several sea turtles and many other marine species. Animal adoptions help us provide them food and excellent care. (Credit photo to Heather Tiffany/Mote Marine Laboratory)

• Try a Treat with Good Taste: Delight your eco-conscious valentine with the gift of Mote Farm-Raised Caviar. This delicious caviar comes from Siberian sturgeon at Mote Aquaculture Park, an earth-friendly fish farm where Mote raises sustainable seafood more than 17 miles inland using recirculated water.  Mote Caviar is mild and smooth with small glistening grains that have a melt-in your-mouth silkiness — waaaay better than chocolate! 
• Where to purchase Mote Caviar:
• Florida’s Whole Foods Markets and Costco stores, along with Morton’s Gourmet Market in Sarasota (please call stores first to ensure Mote Caviar is in stock).
• Online at www.caviarstar.com or Costco.com
• Dine out at Jack Dusty, a brand new restaurant opening Jan. 21 that will feature Mote Farm-Raised Caviar as part of its raw bar and appetizer offerings. Jack Dusty is located in The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota, 1111 Ritz-Carlton Drive, Sarasota.
• Learn more about Mote Caviar and how to purchase it at: www.motecaviar.com

• Click the image to watch a video, or visit us online at motecaviar.com