Explore the secrets of the sea through touch pools, viewable-working labs and high-tech interactive exhibits that showcase the world-renowned research of Mote Marine Laboratory. See sharks, manatees and sea turtles, along with more than 100 other species of marine life. The Laboratory has been a leader in marine research since it was founded in 1955. Mote Aquarium is proud to be accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and has met rigorous, professional standards for animal management, veterinary care, wildlife conservation and research, education, safety, staffing and more.
Included in the admission to the aquarium, is the Ann and Alfred E. Goldstein Marine Mammal Research and Rehabilitation Center and Immersion Cinema where you can see the Dolphin and Whale Hospital. There you will find resident manatees, Hugh and Buffet, along with resident sea turtles, Hang Tough, Shelley and Harriet. Mote Marine is open seven days a week, 365 days a year from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Another interest find at the marine is an ongoing study trying to determine the hearing range for sea turtles. A loggerhead sea turtle, Montego, was trained to touch her beak to a paddle if she heard a noise. Montego was raised by humans in North Carolina and moved to Mote in 1998. At Mote, they taught her to allow herself to be handled and weighed, swim to a target for a food reward, and finally to answer if she heard a sound, again rewarded with food if correct. Scientists discovered that she could hear low frequencies of 50-800 Hertz, compared to humans who can hear from 20-20,000 Hertz. The public can watch sea turtle training each weekday afternoon at Mote.
Visit: 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, Florida 34236
Contact: 941-388-4441
Connect: Website | Facebook
