CHATHAM – Shark Center Chatham will be open for February school vacation week with special exhibits, lectures, and improved accessibility.
One exhibit visitors can access next week is From Red to Green, an in-depth look at how certain sharks are categorized on endangered species lists.
Marine ecologist Grace Casselberry will discuss her work about hammerhead sharks as part of the Shark Tales lecture series on Wednesday, February 23. Reservations are required to attend the talk.
The facility is also expanding its accessibility by having an ASL interpreter at the Shark Center on February 26 to meet the needs of deaf visitors. The center will try to have an ASL interpreter on-site once a month moving forward.
The center is run by the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, which focuses on educating the public about white sharks through research-based information.
Marianne Walsh, education director at the nonprofit, said their outreach included educating beachgoers about the presence of sharks.
“A big part of our outreach efforts is generating that awareness that not only do we have white sharks swimming off our coastline, but we also have them feeding. Sometimes they’re feeding right off our recreational swimming beaches,” Walsh said.
Walsh said outreach is important for seasonal visitors.
“Especially now coming out of COVID where people will be travelling again from farther distances, they might not be so aware about the wildlife that we have here off our coastline,” she said.
Walsh said the AWSC will expand to a second facility with the opening of Shark Center Provincetown on Memorial Day weekend.
Shark Center Chatham will be open 10am to 3pm from Tuesday, February 22 through Saturday, February 26. To make online reservations to visit the center during school vacation week, head to the Shark Center’s site.
Hear the full Sunday Journal with Marianne Walsh.
By Brian Engles, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
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