Georgia Aquarium is an active partner and participant in The Global Shark Trends Project which concluded its multi-year assessment of extinction risk of 1,250 species of sharks, rays, and chimaeras. The Project is part of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and has come to a startling realization: these species’ populations have declined 71 percent in the last 50 years.

This important data sheds light on a rapidly growing problem in our oceans: many of its species may be headed towards extinction.

In a unique commitment to conservation by the Aquarium, researcher Katelyn Herman is a specially trained Red List Officer for the IUCN. The Red List is the most detailed, objective catalog of animal and plant species, documenting their risk of extinction and drawing a picture of the world’s biological health. She supports the IUCN’s Shark Specialist Group, working alongside leading scientists who contribute research to the Red List.

Georgia Aquarium is one of two facilities in the United States to commit this way to the IUCN, with Herman just one of three Red List Officers at facilities accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

Herman’s work also makes Georgia Aquarium one of only 10 IUCN “Red List Hubs” developed worldwide with professional zoo organizations, where more Red List Officers will be trained. Hubs are now at ABQ BioPark in New Mexico, The Deep in England, Lisbon Oceanarium in Portugal, and another four are in development.

“Sharks were not originally a species I felt strongly about, but since getting involved in this project I’ve fallen in love with them. There are so many cool and unusual species of sharks, and they are too often overlooked and misunderstood,” Herman said.

She’s the only person on the team creating GIS (Geographic Information System) field maps, showing where every shark and ray species can be found across the planet. Herman’s research work at Georgia Aquarium also involves dolphin and whale shark research and GIS spatial analysis.

The maps also include a lot of other information, including species names, whether their range is seasonal, what year the assessment was done, the species’ status, and more. These maps also have longevity. They can be used for future policy planning and research studies past this project. With the rate of environmental threats and extinction risks, every Red List species must be re-assessed every 10 years, and maps must be updated.

The Global Shark Trends Project faced tough challenges. Fewer marine species have been assessed for the Red List than terrestrial species because it is hard to count animals in the depths of the ocean, especially when many species travel over wide ranges.

“Marine animals are more difficult,” Herman said. “You can’t wait by a watering hole to count them or track them on foot. It’s not easy to tag them and even when you can use photo identification on a species, it’s still a matter of whether or not that one individual happens to be in the exact place I am, at that moment.”

In 2018 and 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Herman traveled to Brazil and Colombia to help assess the southwest Atlantic Ocean with experts and fisheries from other countries, including Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, the Falkland Islands, and more.

“It’s more efficient to have the regional experts in one place,” Herman says. “They’ll share things such as the known habitat of a species, and how fishing activities are affecting the species in each region.”

It was a busy time for her – they assessed 120 species and found that range maps needed to be updated, or created, for 115 of them.

In addition to Herman’s diligent work with the Global Shark Trends Project and IUCN, Georgia Aquarium has also been the scene for important research decisions and collaboration among institutions. The Aquarium hosted a weeklong sawfish workshop in 2017, where experts came together and talked about how to best protect them.

“One of the coolest things I’ve done is help organize the sawfish workshop,” Herman says. “Before starting with the IUCN, I only knew about a handful of shark and ray species but being part of this project has broadened my knowledge and understanding to some of the most obscure, fascinating species I constantly cited IUCN in papers during college, and to now be engaging with this group professionally is a privilege.”

Georgia Aquarium’s commitment is part of a partnership between AZA and the IUCN, which in the past has relied on academic experts.

This article was published on: January 27, 2021

On Monday, December 14, Georgia Aquarium welcomed four new temporary residents: cold-stunned loggerhead sea turtles. This endangered species was flown in from New England to stay in Georgia Aquarium’s care for an extended period of time until they are able to safely return to the ocean.

The four loggerhead sea turtles in the care of Georgia Aquarium are juveniles and weigh between 20 and 50 pounds. Georgia Aquarium’s team of aquarists and veterinarians will monitor them regularly behind-the-scenes. Providing feedings, and any veterinary care they may need. Organizations like NOAA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will determine when they can be released back into the ocean, most likely off the coast of Florida where the weather is warmer.

This season, hundreds of cold-stunned turtles were rescued off the coast of New England due to cold weather. The chilly temperatures happen so quickly that turtles are unable to swim to warmer waters fast enough and become cold-stunned. They can suffer from hypothermia causing them to become lethargic affecting their diets and overall health.

Georgia Aquarium is proud to offer a temporary home and important care to these rescued animals and work in this multi-institutional effort alongside other zoos, aquariums, and rescue organizations to save hundreds of turtles.

Loggerhead sea turtles are found all over the world from the Atlantic to the Pacific, Indian Oceans, Mediterranean Sea, the northern Gulf of Mexico through the Bahama Islands, and the Antilles. Full-grown loggerhead sea turtles can weigh up to 350 pounds and reach 3 feet long.

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This article was published on: December 16, 2020

Whisper, a 20-year-old beluga whale at Georgia Aquarium gave birth to a calf at 3:17 p.m. on Sunday, May 17, 2020. Whisper’s calf weighed 174 pounds at birth and is five feet four inches in length.

“We are so proud of Whisper and overjoyed to welcome her calf to our Georgia Aquarium family,” said Dennis Christen, senior director of zoological operations, mammals and birds at Georgia Aquarium. “We will be there right alongside the calf as it continues to grow and learn from Whisper.”

Whisper had a long labor, but with assistance from the Aquarium’s animal care and health teams she delivered her calf. Both Whisper and her calf are getting much needed rest and time to bond.

Georgia Aquarium’s animal care and health teams are monitoring Whisper and her calf around-the-clock. There are still milestones ahead for the little whale over the next several weeks, which are crucial for its development and the bonding experience.

Dr. Tonya Clauss, vice president of animal and environmental health at Georgia Aquarium stated, “Our animal health team is continuing to monitor Whisper and her calf. The coming weeks are important for the calf’s development and there are milestones to meet so we’re giving mom and calf all the support and time they need.”

Georgia Aquarium’s other beluga whales, Qinu, Maple, Nunavik, and Imaq are all doing well. They are currently in a separate area of the exhibit and will be introduced to Whisper and her calf when it’s appropriate.

“This birth is important not only for Georgia Aquarium, but all accredited zoological facilities. Our hope is to sustain the beluga whale population in North America so future generations can learn about them,” said Eric Gaglione, vice president of zoological operations at Georgia Aquarium. “Throughout Whisper’s pregnancy we tracked important data about beluga whale gestation that could hopefully make informed conservation decisions about belugas in the wild and their offspring.”

The full birth story, behind-the-scenes moments, and some surprise details will air in an Animal Planet special on May 30, 2020 at 10 p.m. EST. Stay tuned to Georgia Aquarium’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates as the calf continues to grow.

here.
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Photo and video credit: Georgia Aquarium

To learn more about beluga whales visit Georgia Aquarium’s Animal Guide. To learn more about Georgia Aquarium’s beluga whale research and conservation efforts visit the website.

This article was published on: July 20, 2020