Steve and I finally got to visit Mote Aquarium together, and we had a blast. When I visited as part of my Master Naturalist training, I was so excited that I got a membership, so we can visit as often as we like through February of 2020.
We started with the marine fish and invertebrate exhibits. There are about three freshwater exhibits here, but they are clearly not the stars of the show. Immediately upon entering the exhibit hall, there’s a coral reef exhibit to the right. Hard to say whether the fish or the soft corals are prettier. There’s an octopus, but she was hiding today and we didn’t get to see her (last time, she was playing with her toys…I could have watched all day long!). The cuttlefish, however, were out and about and I think they are my favorite part of the whole day. They have such cute faces, and I love how the texture of their skin can change from smooth to bumpy in an instant.
The last thing we saw in the marine exhibit building was the giant squid carcass. This thing…I don’t know. I know it’s dead, so my sorrow at seeing it contained in a box that’s not large enough to properly spread it out is wasted, but it makes me sad. Some of the arms have broken off and have been reattached, and the reattachments are not pretty. The beautiful red color has all faded. I think my first viewing of the giant squid was the best – I was amazed at the size and not so dismayed at the state of the carcass. Now it just makes me very sad. Don’t miss it — you should definitely get an idea of how gargantuan these things are, but maybe don’t spend more time with it than you need to. Rather than a photo of the real thing, here’s a photo of a painting of it.
In the outside marine area, we enjoyed a look at fishes that live in the mangroves. We both loved the bonnet shark exhibit. The bonnet sharks are small, and their skin is iridescent. They are just beautiful. I’d love to see them in the wild.
The otter pool is nicely done, and the river otters are just as charming as any other river otters. It’s so much fun watching them play!
If you visit the Mote Aquarium, please consider joining or making a donation. They are fundraising to build an even more beautiful home for all of the wonders they house. There is plenty to see and do in the area, and I think the next time we go we’ll take kayaks to explore the beautiful Florida west coast waters.
I love visiting aquariums. I’m always so mesmerized by watching them, especially if they have penguins! I haven’t visited this one, but I would love to one day.
It’s at least a half day, so make a weekend of it and enjoy the great food and beautiful beaches of Sarasota!
This is awesome, I wish I could see the Giant Squid – is the painting proportionate in size? I love Aquariums, we went to Georgia Aquarium last year and it was incredible. I’ll have to try and get to Mote Aquarium someday.
You know, Luke, I’m not 100% certain but I believe it is. It’s an impressive beast, and I’d love to see one with the red coloring.
I definitely have to go to Mote Aquarium and see this giant squid carcass! Although, it does sound sad but still amazing. River otters are always a joy to see, they’re so playful and busy. I’ve been meaning to go but you just moved it up my priority list. Thanks!