Author Archive for Kathy Zagzebski

Junior Tech Workshops Engage, Excite, and (dare we say it?) Educate

This February Vacation Week, we welcomed nine students from throughout Barnstable and Plymouth counties to participate in “Turtle T.L.C. & Seal S.O.S.”  Created with Jr. TECH, a program of the Cape Cod Technology Council, the workshop aims to promote “STEM” skills while teaching kids about marine animal rehabililitation.
STEM stands for “Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math” [...]

February Vacation Week at NMLC

This February Vacation week at the National Marine Life Center, there is something for everyone!
Weekdays at 11 am, we offer an update about our patients and the opportunity to visit our headstarting diamondback terrapin hatchlings and red bellied cooter hatchlings.  Free, suitable for all ages.
Weekdays at 2 pm, we offer “Fins and Flippers” club where [...]

For the love of turtles (and seals and dolphins and…)

JOIN US on Saturday, February 13, 10 am – 2 pm, for our Open House celebrating turtles and other marine life!
Explore the Marine Animal Discovery Center, make a marine animal valentine, enjoy arts and crafts and games and refreshments, tour our new marine animal hospital.  Visit Patty the Diamondback Terrapin and meet the eight red-bellied [...]

Ultrasound for Patty

Today, Dr. Williams performed an ultrasound scan on Patty in order to assess her liver and urinary bladder.  Patty’s infected shell requires antibiotics, however these medications can be hard on the liver.  In order to watch for liver damage, Dr. Williams periodically draws blood samples and submits them for testing.  He uses ultrasound to image [...]

Filming at the National Marine Life Center!

The National Marine Life Center was a film set today as DGA Productions from Watertown, MA filmed a promotional video for us.  Interesting lighting transformed ordinary spaces into brilliant backdrops for interviews of NMLC volunteers and staff.  Thank you to Jan Maliszewski, Michael Andrus, and Aaron Frutman for your expert videography and for making the [...]

Chemistry, Art, & Two Guys from Wisconsin

In researching various floor coatings, we considered a variety of products.  We looked at the “do it yourself” versions of garage floor coatings, as well as several products applied by contractors.  One of our biggest challenges was the need to coat the floor in February in Massachusetts.  Cape Cod isn’t the coldest place on earth [...]

Sealing the floor

One of the critical aspects of a marine animal hospital is providing an easily cleaned, sanitary environment.  To that end, as we proceed with finishing the sea turtle ward, it was necessary to seal the concrete floor.  Although concrete seems to be a durable, easily washed surface, without a protectant it will quickly chip and [...]

What to do if you see a stranded seal

While walking my dog on the beach in Sandwich this evening, I came across some beachgoers looking at something on the beach.  With Shanti on leash, I wandered a little closer to check out the situation.  Without getting too close, I could see the “something” was a young seal pup.

I called the IFAW Marine Mammal [...]

Recycle your gadgets and save marine animals!

Did you receive any great new gadgets over the holidays?  Here’s a great way to recycle your old electronics responsibly AND save marine animals at the same time!  The National Marine Life Center is having a “Gadget Drive” through www.gazelle.com.

Gazelle accepts used electronics, including Cell Phones, Laptops, Digital Cameras, MP3 Players, Video Games, PDAs, Gaming [...]

The Spirit of the Season

We have received such nice letters and notes of support along with your year-end donations.  Thank you! One of our favorites was the following, from donors in North Truro.
“December 29, 2009
“Friends,
“Our family decided many years ago that we would step decisively away from the commercial aspects of Christmas.  We agreed that we would no longer [...]

Artist donates proceeds from fish prints to benefit NMLC!

“31 inch striper on black paper” by Joe Higgins, Fished Impressions

Looking for a last minute holiday gift?  Check out these beautiful fish prints by artist Joe Higgins.  According to Joe, fish prints – or “gyotaku” -  have their roots in 19th century Japan when fishermen would record their catch by coating the fish with ink [...]

All I want for Christmas is for the climate to improve.

In case you haven’t seen it, there are some interesting comments in response to the postings on marine animals and climate change.  One of my favorite is from 11-year old Mia.  She writes:
“…all i want for christmas is for the climate to improve.i try to get people to recyle more things and use less paper,plastic,etc.,but [...]

Seals and Climate Change

Finally I thought about seals.  Seals are adaptable.  Seals can handle temperature variation.  Sounds good so far!
Many seals depend on the ice for pupping….  uh oh.
According to a Climate Institute report by Luisanna Carillo-Rubio, harp seal pups are already dying due to lack of sea ice on which they rest.  Additionally, seals’ prey species such [...]

Whales and Dolphins and Climate Change

So then I started wondering – what about cetaceans?  Heck, wouldn’t a whale, dolphin, or porpoise love climate change?  More water, warmer water, more places to forage.  Turns out, that’s not the case….
According to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society:  “Changes in sea temperature, freshening of seawater, sea level rise, loss of icy polar habitats [...]

Sea Turtles and Climate Change

As this week’s United Nations Convention on Climate Change wraps up in Copenhagen, I thought it would be worthwhile to consider the effects of climate change on sea turtles.
According to the Sea Turtle Restoration Project, who recently completed a report on the topic and presented it in Copenhagen, sea turtles are impacted by climate change [...]

Turtles and now dolphins highlight the need for the National Marine Life Center

Over the past several weeks, Cape Cod has been inundated by stranded, cold-stunned sea turtles in what is being described as one of the largest years to date.  Now, the International Fund for Animal Welfare’s Marine Mammal Rescue and Research group reports that dolphin strandings are also on the rise.  In the past week they’ve [...]

Record Number of Sea Turtle Strandings

According to the Cape Cod Times, a record number of sea turtles stranded yesterday.  The National Marine Life Center would like to be able to help the MassAudubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary (authorized beach respondants) and the New England Aquarium (authorized intensive care unit) by opening our new sea turtle ward to these severely debilitated [...]

Join us for Holiday Splash!

Join us next Saturday, December 12, 12-2 pm, for our Holiday Splash open house!  Make a marine animal ornament to decorate your tree.  Enjoy arts and crafts and and games and refreshments.  Tour our new marine animal hospital!

Suggested donation:  $5/person, members FREE.
Become a member on Holiday Splash and get a free gift with your free [...]

Coming out of their shell….

When the little diamondback terrapin hatchlings arrived several weeks ago, they were pretty quiet.  They spent a lot of time huddled inside their shells in the corners of their tanks.
Now, however, they seem to be coming out of their shells!  Each is exploring his or her environment.  Each seems to be feeling more comfortable in [...]

We need YOU to help Open Our Doors!

Exactly two years ago, the National Marine Life Center had a crisis situation. The roof over our rehabilitation facility began to collapse and we had to move out of the building.

We put in a massive effort to raise the $3.1 million needed to remove the original building and replace it with a new hospital [...]