By Taylor Seal
Managing Editor
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Outer banks houses two of the four North Carolina Aquariums, one at Jennette’s Pier and one on the north end of Roanoke Island. The North Carolina Aquarium at Roanoke Island recently gained some exciting new additions to its facility including a soundside pier that was dedicated in June. The groundbreaking for a sea turtle rehab center was also held recently.
“The seed of the idea (for the interactive exhibit) originated from a project on the West Coast dealing with mountain lions,” Aquarium Director Maylon White said. “We started thinking about how that could be applied to our situation on the East Coast. We do a lot of work with Sea turtles so our staff came up and developed this idea where visitors could come in and assume a role of a sea turtle rehabber.”
Built out of salt-treated wood the 200 foot structure connects visitors to the Croatan Sound, according to ncaquariums.com. The lower deck of the pier is designed to involve school groups and summer camps in crabbing and aquatic adventures.
“We were able to get a partial grant from the Coastal Recreational Fishing license, they were able to help us because we have an education mission,” White said. “It (the pier) allows us to do educational programs. We can do crabbing and fishing and kayaking, all kinds of things.”
The Sea Turtle Assistance and Rehabilitation System (STAR) provides 3,000 square feet for the Aquarium and Network for Endangered Sea Turtles (N.E.S.T) to care for sick and injured sea turtles, according to ncaquariums.com
“The hospital is something we have always wanted to do,” White said. “We have started construction of the hospital which we are calling the Sea Turtle Assisted Rehabilitation Center (STAR). Construction is expected to be completed in late January. Hopefully by early summer we will have it open to the public.”
The aquarium has received a lot of help from the Network for Endangered Sea Turtle (NEST).
“A lot of this is made possible with our partners, the NEST group,” White said. “That is a group of volunteers that help sea turtles. They have been around for a long time and have done a lot of work on their own so to be able to help them and have them help us I think is a great partnership.”
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