\n new Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Flocken<\/a>
\n . \u201cSo we’re going to be learning in both directions, taking what we learn from other groups, but also trying to bring the knowledge that we’ve already built here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Flocken, who is trained as a lawyer and previously served as president of Humane Society International, succeeds Dr. Peter Kareiva, who had a five-year contract starting in 2020 and left his post at the aquarium to pursue science and conservation advocacy work.<\/p>\n
Reporters this week got a behind-the-scenes look at the aquarium\u2019s growing sea turtle rescue efforts and a new partnership to boost populations of the endangered Indo-Pacific zebra shark.<\/p>\n
Rescuing green sea turtles<\/p>\n
The San Gabriel River has become home to But living in one of most urbanized rivers in the world has its risks. Earlier this year, aquarium staff rescued a young turtle entangled in fishing lines, caught on debris, and on the brink of death. The turtle was found by volunteers participating in the aquarium\u2019s Southern California Sea Turtle Monitoring Aquarist Stacy Hammond with Porkchop, who is having a breakfast of romaine lettuce.<\/p>\n One of the turtle\u2019s front flippers was tangled in fishing lines and stuck in debris. The line cut off the blood to one of her front flippers, so staff eventually had to amputate it. A fishing hook was lodged in the back of her neck.<\/p>\n Now, the sea turtle has gotten a second chance at life \u2014 and having just three flippers doesn\u2019t seem to be hindering her. (Experts aren\u2019t entirely certain of the turtle\u2019s sex, but guess she is female given the smaller size of her tail.)<\/p>\n \u201cIt has not seemed to faze her at all. She navigates great,\u201d said senior aquarist Stacy Hammond. \u201cShe ate right away, which is uncommon for our rescue sea turtles. She eats very well.\u201d<\/p>\n Aquarium staff say Porkchop is recovering well and will soon be released back into the wild.<\/p>\n It\u2019s why staff nicknamed her Porkchop. They expect to be able to release her back into the wild before the end of the year. She\u2019s one of four the aquarium has rescued this year. \u200a<\/p>\n The aquarium Saving endangered zebra sharks<\/p>\n \n Fern, a female zebra shark who is helping to repopulate her endangered kin in Southeast Asia.\n <\/p>\n \n A baby male zebra shark will go to another aquarium to help breed the species.\n <\/p>\n \n Visitors can see the ultrasounds of zebra shark eggs. This image shows the mouth of a zebra shark developing.\n <\/p>\n \n Veterinarian Brittany Stevens conducts an ultrasound on a zebra shark egg.\n <\/p>\n The aquarium\u2019s expanded conservation work also includes joining a global effort to recover populations of the endangered zebra shark in Indonesia, where overfishing and habitat degradation has decimated the population.<\/p>\n
\n a population of green sea turtles<\/a>
\n \u2014 the creatures have made a remarkable comeback after once being on the brink of extinction.<\/p>\n
\n community science program<\/a>
\n .<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n has rescued and rehabilitated a variety of sea turtles since 2000<\/a>
\n , all of which found in U.S. waters are either endangered or threatened species. Now they\u2019re expanding that work by building an expanded enclosure with specialty equipment and medical supplies.<\/p>\n