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Nab the Aquatic Invader! Now Featured at the Smithsonian
February 9, 2010
As of this month, Nab the Aquatic Invader! is featured at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., as part of the Ocean Today Kiosk in the Sant Ocean Hall.
This educational Web site ( www.sgnis.org/kids/ ) about aquatic invasive species (AIS) was created by Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG), along with Sea Grant programs in New York, Louisiana, Connecticut and Oregon, to provide the latest information about AIS through colorful characters and a crime-solving theme, complete with lists of “most wanted” invasives and their rap sheets. Since its inception, the project has expanded to include species from coastal regions around the country.
“In addition to being clever and fun, the site is rich with curriculum for teachers, ideas for stewardship projects and creative educational activities for students and other online audiences," said Robin Goettel, IISG associate director for education.
“Louisiana Sea Grant (LSG) was the lead for information and activities that tailored the site to reflect invasive species issues important in the Gulf of Mexico,” explained LSG Education Coordinator Dianne Lindstedt. “Undergraduate and graduate students, interns, scientists and professionals from Sea Grant, LSU, the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program and Southeast Aquatic Resources Partners all contributed to the site.”
The Ocean Today Kiosk, developed by NOAA in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution, presents news, video stories and interactive pages that highlight some of the most interesting, surprising and pressing issues facing the world’s oceans. Through a large touch-screen interface, kiosk visitors are offered a variety of information about ocean life, current science, technology and recent discoveries. The kiosk also features a current news section, presenting users with near real-time data about ocean and weather conditions around the United States.
The Nab the Aquatic Invader! feature focuses on invasive species in four areas of the country: Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf and Great Lakes. In each region, visitors can see interrogation interviews with the 10 “Most Wanted” AIS suspects and learn their origin, problems they cause and some control methods used to slow the spread of these damaging plants and animals.
“The Ocean Today Kiosk team is excited to partner with Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant to turn content from the Nab the Aquatic Invader! Web site into an interactive feature,” said Katie Snider, kiosk executive producer at NOAA’s National Ocean Service.
“I am very excited that our hard work in developing the ‘Gulf’s Top Ten Suspects’ and 32 accompanying activities will attract a national audience in Washington at the Smithsonian,” Lindstedt said. “Through the Oceans Hall Kiosk, many students and adults will be able to learn about the problems in their area and discover that other parts of the country have similar issues. For example, some will be surprised to see that nutria not only cause trouble here in Louisiana but also in California, the Northwest and the Northeast.”
In addition to the Sant Ocean Hall, Ocean Today Kiosks will be located at a growing network of aquariums across the nation through the Coastal America's Ecosystem Learning Centers. This partnership will ultimately provide opportunities for 20 to 30 million people to engage with Nab the Aquatic Invader! and many more ocean resources.
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