{"id":19082,"date":"2024-05-23T14:53:32","date_gmt":"2024-05-23T21:53:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/noelophile.com\/?p=19082"},"modified":"2024-05-23T16:02:40","modified_gmt":"2024-05-23T23:02:40","slug":"a-ribbeting-new-exhibit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/noelophile.com\/?p=19082","title":{"rendered":"A “Ribbeting” New Exhibit"},"content":{"rendered":"
by Noella Noelophile\u00ae<\/h6>\n
\"Aquarium<\/a><\/h6>\n

Aquarium of the Pacific<\/a> is opening a brand-new exhibit!<\/p>\n

And visitors may well leap at the opportunities it represents.<\/p>\n

FROGS: Facing a Changing World<\/a> opens tomorrow morning, Friday, May 24th, in Long Beach.\u00a0\u00a0 With 20 exhibits, it showcases more than 20 species of amphibians and reptiles from around the world.<\/p>\n

\"Tiny<\/a><\/p>\n

“Not only does this exhibit showcase the amazing adaptations of amphibians, but also\u00a0 the issues that they face, ” said Aquarium Manager of Conservation Initiatives Erin Lundy during Thursday morning’s press conference.\u00a0 “(These include) destruction of habitat, wildlife trafficking and climate change.”<\/p>\n

“We will also share what the Aquarium is doing to help these animals, and what our guests can do to help.”<\/p>\n

Guests will get to observe, not only the frogs, toads, newts, salamanders and various other reptiles in the exhibits, but also, conditions under which they can thrive.<\/p>\n

“In our Tropical Pacific Gallery, you can visit…a frog nursery,” Erin said.<\/p>\n

“Our guests can watch us care for frogs, from eggs to adults.”<\/p>\n

A global spectrum<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\"Golden<\/a>

(royalty-free image by hartono subagio<\/a> from Pixabay.)<\/p><\/div>\n

Residents of the new exhibit represent countries from all over the world, she added.<\/p>\n

“In this area of the new exhibit…you’ll also see animals from…Central America, South America, Vietnam, the Solomon Islands, Australia,\u00a0 Madagascar and more.”<\/p>\n

At least one of these, is an animal you’ve probably never seen before: the Panamanian golden frog.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The golden frog, Erin explained, is native to Panama–and is considered functionally extinct in the wild.<\/p>\n

\"Yellow<\/a>

(Royalty-free image by josch13<\/a> from Pixabay.)<\/p><\/div>\n

The new exhibit also showcases an endangered frog species, which Aquarium staff have been raising for release into the wild: the mountain yellow-legged frog, which is only found in one place in the world: California!<\/p>\n

“Since 2021, (we’ve released more than 300 mountain yellow-legged frogs raised here) into local mountains to help re-establish their populations,” Erin said.<\/p>\n

“When FROGS: Facing a Changing World” opens, it will actually be the first time that guests to the Aquarium will see mountain yellow-legged frogs.”<\/p>\n

Conservation plus storytelling–and art<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\"Small<\/a>

(Royalty-free image by josch13 from Pixabay.)<\/p><\/div>\n

Erin said visitors to FROGS will get to see the new short film, “Saving Frogs”, which details the Aquarium’s efforts, in collaboration with their partners, to save the mountain yellow-legged frog.<\/p>\n

They’ll also get to flex their own creativity–by getting to virtually “paint” a frog in the Aquarium’s new interactive space!<\/p>\n

And, a special “spokesguest” will be on hand…<\/p>\n

A word from Axl<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\"White<\/a>

(Royalty-free image by La Dame Bucolique from Pixabay.)<\/p><\/div>\n

…in fact, that guest made an appearance on Thursday.<\/p>\n

Axl the axolotl, a whimsical puppet in keeping with the Aquarium’s approach to education with a “fun” element, took the stage for a brief discourse on the merits of amphibians.<\/p>\n

“I may not be a frog, but..I am an amphibian,” Axl told the audience.<\/p>\n

“And our new exhibit may say ‘FROGS’ in the title, but it’s also about salamanders, and newts, and other amphibians, and even reptiles.<\/p>\n

“And the challenges Erin talked about, (affect) all of us.”<\/p>\n

In effect, Axl reminded the audience that helping amphibians deal with a changing world, was an even exchange.<\/p>\n

“(It’s also about) what amphibians can do for you,” he said.<\/p>\n

\"Green<\/a>

(Royalty-free image by MR_COX<\/a> on Pixabay.)<\/p><\/div>\n

“You all know that we amphibians eat bugs.\u00a0 Have you ever considered what would happen if we didn’t<\/em> eat bugs?\u00a0 In particular, mosquitoes?”<\/p>\n

Cleaner waterways, in addition to fewer disease-carrying insects, was another benefit he mentioned.<\/p>\n

“So…\u00a0 this summer, if you’re (at an outdoor event) and you happen to see a frog hop out and grab (a mosquito), don’t say, ‘Ewww’,” he counseled.<\/p>\n

“Say, ‘Hey frog, thanks for coming to my party.\u00a0 Next time bring your friends.'”<\/h4>\n

The real-life version<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Front<\/a>

(Royalty-free image by Alan Frijns from Pixabay.)<\/p><\/div>\n

Axl will, in fact, be joined by fellow axolotl friends in the new exhibit.<\/p>\n

“The Aquarium of the Pacific is part of the Southern California Wildlife Confiscations Network, ” Erin said.<\/p>\n

This network, she continued, is a partnership between U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and nineteen animal-care partners in the Southern California region.\u00a0\u00a0 As part of the network, the Aquarium serves as a sanctuary for animals seized from wildlife traffickers.<\/p>\n

In April of 2023, two juvenile axolotls arrived at the Aquarium after being confiscated by\u00a0 California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife.<\/p>\n

\"Side<\/a>

(Royalty-free image by KinEnrique<\/a>z from Pixabay.)<\/p><\/div>\n

The newly-rescued axolotls were in poor health.<\/p>\n

“One of\u00a0 (them) was actually missing its front limb,” Erin explained.<\/p>\n

“…We spent a lot of time nursing these animals back to health, including constant monitoring, water changes and (daily hand-feeding).”<\/p>\n

By summer, she said, the Aquarium staff had successfully restored the pair to good health.\u00a0 They had grown back their legs and were living normal “axolotl lives”.<\/p>\n

Guests, she said, will be able to see them when “FROGS: Facing a Changing World” opens.<\/p>\n

Our role in conservation<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\"Small<\/a>

(Royalty-free image by Pexels<\/a> from Pixabay.)<\/p><\/div>\n

Erin ended her presentation with a look at what the general public can do, to help amphibians as they face a changing world.<\/p>\n

The starting point, she said, is research of a global issue.<\/p>\n

“Amphibians face a particularly high illegal trade as pets,” Erin explained.<\/p>\n

Prospective pet owners, she said, can help by checking the protected status of a species online, checking that animals are being bred responsibly and receiving\u00a0 human care, and asking where the animals are coming from.<\/p>\n

\"Black-and-yellow<\/a>

(Royalty-free image by Kathy_Buscher<\/a> from Pixabay.)<\/p><\/div>\n

Erin concluded with the mission of the new exhibit.<\/p>\n

“Through FROGS: Facing a Changing World” we hope that visitors will learn about the importance of these animals, and be inspired to join us in helping to protect them.”<\/p>\n

Or, as Axl said before exiting the stage, supposedly in search of some juicy insects,<\/p>\n

“United with nature, there is no limit to the beauty you can foster in this world.”<\/p>\n

“FROGS: Facing a Changing World” opens at 10 am, Friday, May 24th at Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way in Long Beach.\u00a0 Aquarium general operating hours are from 9 am to 6 pm,\u00a0 with\u00a0 extended hours from 9 am to 8 pm May 25th through 27th.\u00a0 Additional special extended hours are\u00a0 offered in June and July.\u00a0\u00a0 Reservations are required on weekends and holidays; here’s the <\/em><\/strong>link for information.<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Noella Noelophile\u00ae Aquarium of the Pacific is opening a brand-new exhibit! And visitors may well leap at the opportunities it represents. FROGS: Facing a Changing World opens tomorrow morning, Friday, May 24th, in Long Beach.\u00a0\u00a0 With 20 exhibits, it … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[262],"tags":[167,1721,2431,2432,148],"class_list":["post-19082","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-all-the-year","tag-aquarium-of-the-pacific","tag-conservation","tag-frogs","tag-frogs-facing-a-changing-world","tag-long-beach"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/noelophile.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19082","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/noelophile.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/noelophile.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/noelophile.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/noelophile.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=19082"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/noelophile.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19082\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19137,"href":"https:\/\/noelophile.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19082\/revisions\/19137"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/noelophile.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=19082"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/noelophile.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=19082"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/noelophile.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=19082"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}