An ambitious operation has seen hundreds of marine creatures, including river otters, sea turtles, manatees, penguins, and sharks, relocated to the Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium. Teams used large nets, water-filled containers, and box trucks to move the animals from a hard-to-reach island to the brand-new Mote Science Education Aquarium, situated just east of Sarasota. The facility is set to open to the public on Wednesday, with Mote anticipating that the new centre will offer more authentic habitats and greatly enhance public engagement with marine science.
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Kevin Cooper, Mote’s vice president for communications and strategic initiatives, highlighted the improvements, saying the centre now includes a massive manatee habitat and homes for new arrivals such as the giant Pacific octopus and penguins. “We are also adding more opportunities to learn about marine science for guests of all ages and offering chances for citizen scientists to take part in outreach,” he explained. The move from the previous City Island location, which had been challenging for visitors to reach, was planned carefully, with the research facilities remaining on the barrier island.
Each species required specific relocation techniques. Sharks and fish were transported in oxygen-rich, filtered water, often at night to avoid traffic, while manatees travelled in air-conditioned box trucks designed specifically for them. River otters were moved in specially designed cages, similar to those used for cats and dogs, in air-conditioned vehicles. Veterinary staff and aquarists closely monitored every animal throughout the journey and during acclimation at the new site. Cooper emphasised the “rigorous monitoring, strict protocols and complex coordination” needed for such a large-scale operation.
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The new Mote SEA facility will house over 400 species and several thousand individual animals. It features three STEM teaching labs and will provide free hands-on experiences for around 70,000 schoolchildren in Sarasota and Manatee counties. Founded in 1955 by Dr Eugenie Clark, Mote also operates coral nurseries in the Florida Keys to help restore damaged reefs. Evan Barniskis, associate vice president at Mote, said: “Our aim is for visitors to gain a deeper understanding of marine science and see how Mote contributes to global knowledge of the marine environment. This facility translates that science for the public, allowing everyone to understand the work of Mote scientists and the benefits for our oceans.”
