The Birch Aquarium in La Jolla

The Birch Aquarium in La Jolla

The Birch Aquarium in La Jolla is not only fun for the whole family, but educational. Kids of all ages (anywhere from 3 – 90 years of age) will enjoy learning about sharks, whales, seahorses, coral reefs, tide pools, and more than 60 habitats of Pacific marine life! But going to the Birch Aquarium isn’t just about looking at pretty fishes and touching prickly sea creatures (although that’s fun too); but it’s an eye-opening experience that makes you think about huge issues that impact our entire planet. The Birch Aquarium also educates its many visitors about climate change, sustainable energy, and how we can reduce our carbon footprint in order to take care of our planet.

            The first exhibit I encountered was the Tide Pool Plaza; two pools filled with captivating sea creatures consisting of star fishes, lobsters, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers. The volunteers allow you to touch these fascinating creatures. It’s kind of like the petting zoo, but with slimy and prickly things. These creatures are called bottom feeders because they eat whatever’s on the ocean floor, keeping the ocean clean. A little fun fact about the sea cucumber is that it has two sets of intestines. Whenever it feels threatened by a potential predator, it expels one set of intestines, which either drives away the animal due to the horrendous smell, or the predator turns it’s hungry gaze toward the intestines and leaves the sea cucumber alone. The sea cucumber will regrow back another set of intestines.

            The Birch Aquarium does its part to keep the general public in-the-know about one of the hottest topics of today, global warming. All valuable information is provided by one of the world leaders of climate research, Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Human actions have changed the world’s atmosphere, causing temperatures to rise more rapidly than natural. This will have adverse effects on our planet: the melting of ancient glaciers, a rising sea level, the greenhouse effect, and changes we might not even be aware of. Urgent action is needed in order to limit global warming to moderate levels. The Birch Aquarium does a great job at communicating this message to kids by having interactive games and activities for them to engage with.