Celebrating Endangered Species Day!

Last Friday was a special event in the Office of Protected Resources as we celebrated the nation’s annual Endangered Species Day.  Led by our hard-working outreach coordinator, six staff escaped cubeland to spend the day talking with the public at the U.S. Botanical Gardens.  We were not alone in this effort, with countless government agencies and nonprofit organizations lining the garden paths with informational booths, artifacts, posters, and giveaways.  

Children were excited to hold our large sperm whale teeth and fur seal pelts.  We showed inquisitive visitors the orca vertebra and let them spin the endangered species wheel to learn more about just a few of the 60+ marine species that fall within NOAA jurisdiction for conservation and management measures.  Our most popular item was without a doubt the amazing 8-foot long, spiraling narwal tooth.  We used this as a tool to inspire curiosity among children and adults and to talk about this mysterious arctic Unicorn of the Sea.  (I should of course mention that the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement “Fish Police” originally confiscated the illegally obtained items that are now part of the agency museum collection).  

In addition to these learning tools, I showed visitors about perhaps our most odd and imposing display: the TED.   I introduced children to “William the HawksBill” and told them to cheer the turtle on as it bravely navigated the shrimp trawl net.  I then showed them how William the turtle could easily escape the net through the Turtle Excluder Device.  Whether it was unsuspecting adults, informed youth, or bright-eyed school kids, everyone loved actually seeing the TED in action.  

Before you see it, a technological solution such as this remains abstract – something you have to take on faith.  Having not actually seen a real TED myself, I was reminded of the importance of tangible outreach tools for communicating innovation that people are often hesitant to accept.  Lucky for turtles, many fishers have embraced TEDs as a way of improving the efficiency of their catch.  As a final plug for fisheries management, I pointed everyone toward our beautifully illustrated book A Good Catch and then sent them on their way to learn about all of the other endangered animal and plant species that exist in the prairies, forests, and coastal areas of the country.

Events such as these took place all around the country.  What did you do to celebrate Endangered Species Day?