SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium asked us to check out their new Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center last week. We jumped at the chance, and I couldn’t wait to share some photos of the experience, as well as the press release with all the details.
Rescue Beach
Right past the sting ray area of Sea Life, you’ll come right up to the new Sea Turtle area. You begin at Rescue Beach, where you and your kids can pick up your own miniature sea turtle to use on the interactive displays within.
Next, you set your turtle on the platform to find out if it is a boy or a girl, name it, and find out how much it weighs.
There are a lot of neat facts posted nearby as well. If you have a kid that likes to read every little thing, they’ll walk out of this exhibit with a ton of new knowledge.
The next section is a cool X-Ray area. You place your mini turtle in the mock X-Ray machine to see what’s ailing your sea turtle. It gives recommendations on what to do to help it to get healed up quickly.
During our visit, we were able to see two of the real sea turtles up close and personal. We even got to see them during a feeding. My kids thought it was cool that they ate lettuce, just like they do!
How tall (or long) do sea turtles normally get? Well, stand up at this area and find out if you are taller or shorter than the average full sized sea turtle!
After you have had a chance to peek in on the real sea turtle rehabilitation hospital, it’s time to feed and rehydrate your mini turtle. At this station, you find out what to feed it and then give it a good drink of water to keep it healthy!
Your last stop is to release your mini sea turtle back into the ocean, just like SEA LIFE is doing with the turtles they are rehabilitating!
This isn’t the only place that SEA LIFE has been changing up since we were there last. On the second floor, we found a fun little area to learn more about sustainability, safety, and more. This is another place that fact lovers will enjoy a lot.
Please see the press release below for more specific information. I highly recommend going out and checking it out! My kids had a blast with this new area of the aquarium. I’m impressed with how interactive it is, and that the kids can visit REAL Sea Turtles that have been rescued and are being helped right here in Grapevine, Texas at SEA LIFE at their new Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center.
SEA LIFE GRAPEVINE AQUARIUM ANNOUNCES ALL-NEW
SEA TURTLE RESCUE AND REHABILITATION CENTERNew Permit and Hospital Allows Aquarium to Rehab and Release Distressed Turtles
Corresponding Interactive Exhibit Allows Guests To Experience
Sea Turtle Rehabilitation First-Hand
Grapevine, Texas (April 5, 2018) – SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium is pleased to
announce Sea Turtle Rescue Center, a new interactive rehabilitation experience opening
Saturday, May 5.
The new permanent exhibit lets guests of all ages learn about the threats turtles face in
the wild and experience first-hand the process of successfully rescuing, rehabilitating
and releasing sea turtles. Upon entry, guests will become a bonafide turtle rescuer as
they collect a mock turtle from the beach, name and weigh their patient, then begin a
virtual rehabilitation journey. After using an x-ray machine to diagnose and remedy
injuries, guests nurse their turtle back to health at the feeding and hydration station
then release them back into the wild.
In addition to observing non-releasable sea turtles in a display tank, guests can also view
aquarists through a glass window working with real injured patients in the aquarium’s
new rehabilitation facility and hospital. The Grapevine aquarium is the first SEA LIFE in
the U.S. to be permitted to rehabilitate sick and injured sea turtles and release them
back into the wild through partnerships with Animal Rehabilitation Keep (ARK), U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, and other Texas coast sea turtle hospitals.
“Our new interactive rehabilitation exhibit profiles real-life endangered sea turtle
rescues that our dedicated SEA LIFE team have been involved in. Since our opening,
we’ve rescued seven non-releasable sea turtles. With our new permit and hospital, in
addition to rescue, we can now care for sick or injured turtles until they’re well enough
for release back into the wild,” said Karen Rifenbury, Curator, SEA LIFE Grapevine.
“Visitors will be able to learn about new patients and the medical team working that day
through our patients-in- residence display board.”“Along the Texas coast, many turtles are found injured or sick each year. There are only
five sea turtle rehabilitation facilities, so every facility has to work very hard. ARK is very
excited to welcome SEA LIFE Grapevine to sea turtle rehabilitation and look forward to
continuing our collaboration to save sea turtles. With the addition of their rehabilitation
center, each sea turtle will be given even more attention while in rehab,” said Alicia
Walker, Program Coordinator, ARK.
“Already a tremendous partner in sea turtle conservation, SEA LIFE Grapevine is now
stepping up to do even more. Recent freezing temperatures in South Texas filled our
coastal rehabilitation centers to capacity with cold-stunned sea turtles. It is reassuring
to know they are there to help if needed next time,” said Mary Kay Skoruppa, Texas
Coastal Ecological Services Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Coinciding with the opening of Sea Turtle Rescue Center, the aquarium welcomed a
non-releasable green sea turtle named Thalassia. “Sea Turtle Rescue Center also houses
non-releasable sea turtles creating a turtle sanctuary not found anywhere else in DFW.
Efforts like these are what make SEA LIFE Grapevine so much more than an average mall
aquarium,” said Kelly Schwartz, General Manager, SEA LIFE Grapevine.About SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium:
SEA LIFE Grapevine transports you into the amazing underwater world. Prepare for astonishingly close views of everything from humble starfish and seahorses to graceful rays and powerful sharks. With an amazing 360° ocean tunnel, 30 display tanks and thousands of sea creatures the aquarium is the perfect stop for family fun. To get any closer you would have to get wet! Admission is $20.95 for adults, $16.95 for children ages 3 to 12. For more information visit www.visitsealife.com/grapevine. SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium is located at 3000 Grapevine Mills Parkway, Grapevine, TX 76051. Phone: 469-444- 3050. Follow us on Facebook: @sealifegrapevine Twitter: @sealifegrpevine and Instagram: @sealifenorthamerica.
