■ 



"Research, whether applied 

 or incidental, is an important 

 part of the aquarium mission. 

 We observe, document and relay 

 our findings to the scientific 

 community through aquarium and 

 university networks," Barrington 

 explains. 



The North Carolina 

 Aquariums soon could have an 

 expanded research role to play 

 in efforts to restore failing oyster 

 populations in state waters. A bill 

 introduced in the state senate seeks 

 $300,000 to study the creation of 

 oyster hatcheries at the aquariums 

 in collaboration with North 

 Carolina Sea Grant, DMF and 

 university scientists. 



"It's an exciting prospect," 

 Griffin says. 



THE TAKE-HOME 

 MESSAGE 



At Roanoke Island, a crowd 

 of mostly adults encircles the touch 

 tank where stingrays play follow 

 the leader. Volunteer Fred Bamonte 

 encourages the visitors to reach 

 down to touch the cruising animals. 



"Go ahead. Put your fingers 

 in the water and touch their wings. 

 They are as soft as velvet. Don't 

 ignore them — or they'll come 

 up to you and splash you for 

 attention," he warns. 



On cue, the largest ray pops 

 up and makes a splashing motion 

 with its wings. Surprised visitors 

 shyly dangle fingers and hands 

 in the shallow tank to experience 

 the velvet touch. Bamonte points 

 out the guitarfish, a small shark, 

 making lazy circles near the tank's 

 bottom. "Go ahead, touch it so you 

 can tell your friends you touched a 

 shark," he jokes. 



Then, Bamonte lifts a 

 menacing-looking horseshoe 

 crab from the bottom to give his 

 now-captive audience a close look 

 at a creature that has stood the test 



123 jT tiEirgilill'jEw ii'ifi 

 ME 



10 HIGH SEASON 2005 



