as fellows at the mystic aquarium, we take part in a wide variety of unique and eye opening experiences — from “fish prep” in the kitchen to writing conservation stories — our days are filled with shadowing, learning, and hands-on activities each week. rather than covering every single moment, i’ve chosen to highlight some of the most memorable experiences from my third week here. i hope these snapshots give you a sense of what life is like “behind the scenes” here at mystic aquarium!

day 1:

the week kicked off bright and early with mystic aquarium’s veterinary team, led by senior director of animal care & welfare, dr. eric anderson. our first stop of the day was visiting the beluga whales, for one needed a tailored treatment. from the viewing area, we watched as the team carefully drew blood and gave her fluids through her fluke (aka, the tail). these are routine procedures, sure — but seeing them done with such skill and care reminded me not only how much work goes into keeping these incredible animals healthy, but also why i want to pursue this line of work in the first place.

next, we made our way to the stingray tank for the annual physical exams — a process that’s way more hands-on than i expected. one stingray immediately caught our eye: it had a mass near one of its eyes and a few scrapes along its side and front. to get a better look, the team gently sedated it. watching the vets in action, working so carefully and precisely with such a unique patient, was fascinating — and i realized this is a “behind the scenes” moment most people never get to see.

after the stingray exams, we got to witness something i’ll probably never forget — a penguin gender reveal! the dad (and foster dad) of this year’s four chicks had their feet painted with non-toxic blue or pink paint, then proudly waddled across a canvas, leaving behind colorful footprints that revealed each chick’s gender. the final tally: two girls and two boys! beyond being adorable, this activity is actually a clever form of training — helping the penguins get comfortable with having their feet handled in case they ever need ointment or health checks down the line.

the morning wrapped up with some hands-on work: organizing and restocking the veterinary supply bins in the hospital clinic. it may not sound glamorous, but it was satisfying to help ensure everything was ready for the next animal in need.

in the afternoon, we caught the sea lion show — a mix of fun and education. aimed mostly at kids, the presentation focused on sustainability and ways we can all reduce plastic use. the message, though, was universal. after the show, we sat in on a training session with victoria shaw, a senior trainer in the marine theater, who gave us a behind the scenes look at how the sea lions are taught behaviors that make their care easier.

for instance, each animal knows exactly where to go at feeding time and practices behaviors that help with health checks — like staying still for an ultrasound, opening wide for a tooth brushing, or presenting a flipper for a blood draw. it was the perfect reminder that every part of their day — from feeding to training — is designed with their well-being in mind.

fun fact: stingray barbs are mostly made of keratin — similar to human nails — which means they, too, grow back if trimmed!

day 2:

after a slow morning spent chipping away at our fellowship deliverables, we geared up for a hands-on afternoon with the fish and invertebrate (or f&i) team. the highlight? welcoming 50 cassiopea xamachana (better known as upside-down jellyfish) born in the odysea aquarium in arizona to their new home at mystic aquarium.

hilariously, they arrived in the mail room alongside other packages, as if someone had casually ordered jellyfish online… however, do not fret, for the f&i team was kind enough to explain all the precautions and safety measures that go into having these animals arrive safely overnight. from ensuring there is no air in the water bags to keeping their temperature regulated by the use of styrofoam insulated boxes and heat packs (given that this is a tropical species) — these jellyfish are definitely better cared for than your average mail package.

we watched as the team carefully set up a tank with a sandy bottom and special lighting designed to support their growth and development (they were still juveniles). getting a behind the scenes view of the exhibit tanks was fascinating — we stood above and behind them to see how all the fish and invertebrates, from stingrays to horseshoe crabs, are fed.

but my personal favorite moment? feeding the sharks. from squid to shrimp to other fish, their menu is as impressive as it sounds. i especially loved watching zelda, the zebra shark, glide around gracefully — her spotted exterior makes her an easy favorite.

later in the day, we met with the planet forward team — kim ossi (one of our mentors) and jamila o’hara — for our usual weekly check-in to discuss our deliverables and capstone projects.

it was one of those days that reminded me how much happens behind the scenes to keep these animals thriving — and just how lucky i am to witness it all.

fun fact: when young, zebra sharks have a striped exterior (closely resembling that of zebras), but as they grow older it changes to a more spotted pattern to camouflage with the sand!

day 3:

wednesdays are our dedicated “project work” days — time set aside to really focus on our deliverables and make progress on our capstone projects. it’s also when we meet with interns from across the aquarium’s many departments: education & conservation, rescue & rehabilitation, marine theater, fish & invertebrates, acpnw (that’s the beluga whale and seals teams), penguin husbandry, and water quality.

during these meetings, we hear from supervisors across different departments. they talk about their paths to where they are now, the bumps in the road they faced, and why they chose this career — it’s always interesting to hear how people who were once in our same shoes found their way here. today we heard from two staff members: tracy camp, assistant curator of birds / manager marine mammal and bird interpretation, and courtney gill, supervisor of california sea lions. while their entire talk was very inspiring and admirable, my biggest two takeaways were the following:

1. even if you think you think you have your future career “set in stone” — say yes to different opportunities that arise, explore different areas and topics, and expand your skill set. there is no “con” to learning and gaining experiences.
2. no matter the career you wind up pursuing, find a “win” everyday. this will keep you motivated and remind you why you chose to be here.

one of my favorite parts of these days is our check-in with the education & conservation interns and sheila smith, program specialist and one of our supervisors. it’s a chance to catch up, swap updates, and share how our work is going.

today’s meeting had an extra addition — we got to welcome the three new electric boat-mystic aquarium fellows! as their fellowship name implies, they’ll be working on a variety of captivating, hands-on projects. in brief, their fellowship is aimed toward environmental stewardship. they will be focusing on the areas of animal enrichment and welfare, and translating how that all ties into manufacturing and sub building. by the end of their time here, they hope to design some tabletop activities to add to the aquarium that engage the public on how nature inspires manufacturing.

with that, we wrapped up the day — a solid mix of project work and good conversations that left me looking forward to the rest of the week!