Johnny Morris' Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium

Did you hear the news?! We've been nominated for Best Aquarium by Newsweek! You can vote daily through March 27: wondersofwildlife.org/vote

Spring break is always a busy time at WOW, and our staff wants to make sure every guest has an enjoyable experience! Our Sensory Kits can help anyone who may become overstimulated as they journey through the aquarium or museum. ?? Pop-its ?? Tangle twists ?? Stretchy strings ?? Marble mesh ?? Portable fan ?? Headphones These items can be picked up at the beginning of a visit at the Ticket Counter and returned when a guests is leaving. Small steps like these help make Wonders of Wildlife a more inclusive and engaging place for people of all ages to learn about wildlife and conservation!

Some magical underwater friends are making their way to WOW! ????♀?? Mermaids will take to the waters in our Great Barrier Reef and Lower Shipwreck Reef exhibits where you can watch them swim and dive – for just three weekends this spring! ? Thursday, March 20th - Sunday, March 23rd ? Thursday, March 27th - Sunday, March 30th ? Thursday, April 3rd - Sunday, April 6th Each day from 9 AM to 3 PM, you can see and meet our mermaid friends, participate in hands-on learning experiences, and more. Learn more and plan your visit: https://lnkd.in/gdieb66R

At the end of the last week, a few of our educators attended the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Conservation Education Committee Great Plains Regional Workshop at Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden! They collaborated with other education teams from the region to share current insights on how programs are run, implementation of guest feedback, and usage of animal ambassadors for conservation education. This opportunity also allowed our team to gain new ideas on how animal ambassadors can be used to better promote conservation messaging in our educational programs.

Back in February, Stephanie Peters and Michael Bryant of our Animal Ambassador team were able to attend the International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators Conference in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee! There spent time collaborating with peers from other facilities, learning how to continually improve guest engagement with ambassadors, and even meeting iconic birds like Lincoln – the eagle that flies for the Philadelphia Eagles!

We're hiring! Be sure to check out all of our open positions: https://lnkd.in/ee6BVra

It’s more important than ever for people of all ages to connect with nature through fishing, hunting, and outdoor recreation to ensure we can protect wildlife for generations to come. #WorldWildlifeDay

Yesterday, WOW hosted members of The Network – the premier organization for Springfield's professional under 40 – as part of their Living in SGF series! They got to receive a tour of our jellies aquaculture room and socialize with members of our team about working at one of the two AZA-accredited facilities in the city. Interested in joining The Network? Head to their website: https://lnkd.in/gpVjqgxr

We are proud to announce we have been recognized as the 2024 SeaTREK Operator of the Year Award! Our dedicated Dive team received the highest marks in overall performance, professionalism, and guest experience with our Out to Sea Shark Dive encounter. We are incredibly proud of our divers that run these amazing tours and the work they've put in to make these one-of-a-kind experiences for our guests – both above and below the water!

As part of caring for rescued sea turtles, our team has to track milestones for every turtle. A milestone all rescued sea turtles must reach is being able to capture live food. This not only tells our team how each turtle is recovering but if they would be able to survive on their own in the wild. Our team gives each turtle a food item – blue crabs for the loggerheads and whelks for the Kemp's ridleys – and then assess if they meet their marks on chasing and capturing live prey. We're happy to report that all of our turtles passed their tests! That's another step toward release, we're so proud of them, and we're incredibly thankful to our team members that care for the turtles day in and day out!