Windy City Mermaids LLC

Swim with a Mermaid Day at Lockport Park District's Chaney Pool was simply Mer-mazing! We love being a part of community events! Visit our website www.windycitymermaids.com to add some mermaid magic to your community events!

??? Happy Unicorn Day! Icing Smiles is honored to be featured in the @joeandruzzifoundation new UniCORN!?? UniCORN (Universal Community Oncology Resource Network), a web-based platform that helps cancer patients find the resources and help they need while in treatment. It can be accessed by patients, caregivers, family, healthcare providers, ANYONE. Just go to jafunicorn.org and start your search. Thank you for sharing the word and mission of Icing Smiles! Check out this great new resource. #Unicorn #IcingSmiles #Cancer

Impactful news for a rosy-shelled snail this Valentine’s week. Queen conch are officially listed as a Threatened Species under the Endangered Species Act. Historically overharvested, these vital herbivores help maintain a wide range of habitats, including seagrass beds by consuming algae and detritus. Chicago’s connection to queen conch with Shedd extends over 9 years, with 114 passionate conservationists who joined our research efforts aboard Shedd Aquarium's RV Coral Reef II to determine where conch are and, increasingly, where they are not. Together, we’ve surveyed over 2,000 sites in The Bahamas and have documented and measured more than 20,000 individuals. Our data has helped: ?? Review the impact of fishing on conch abundance. ?? Map conch genetic structure across the Caribbean. ?? Assess marine reserves' effectiveness in conch conservation. ?? Identify thriving populations in remote areas. ?? Enhance our understanding of conch distribution patterns. With this designation, we hope it will spark increased attention, resources and collaboration to protect and rebuild conch populations in our oceans, ensuring these heart-shaped mollusks thrive in the future!

It is Penguin Awareness Day! Last fall, Animal Care and Science team members Lana and Lauren traveled to Patagonia to assist our partners at UC Davis from the Karen C. Dryer Wildlife Health Center’s Latin America Program and the Argentinian National Research Council’s Center for the Study of Marine Systems in Patagonia in the field collecting fecal samples from Magellanic penguins. This collection aims to gather information on what the penguins in that area are eating so that we may better protect those food sources. However, collecting penguin poop is harder than it sounds! Stay tuned to hear Lana and Lauren explain the process from the field.

Got a dino lover? Here's a treat: Dinosaurs are about to invade Rosemont. #familyfun