Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre

Pacific Rim Whale Festival

learnmore — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 01:26:44 +0000

The grey whale migration is one of the longest of any mammal (up to 15,000 – 20,000 km round trip).

Join the fun on the shores of Vancouver Island’s wild west coast, as we celebrate the arrival of upwards of 20,000 grey whales on their northbound migration from the Baja Peninsula to Alaska’s Bering Strait and beyond.

When: March 6-14, 2010

For more information please visit: www.pacificrimwhalefestival.com

Lecture Series – Sea Sick: The Global Ocean in Crisis

learnmore — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:07:13 +0000

Join us in welcoming Alanna Mitchell, Environmentalist and Science Writer, to the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre.

March 4, 2010, 7:00 p.m

Seating is limited so get there early! See you then.

Sidney Spit Field Trip

learnmore — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 22:13:31 +0000

Some of our oceaneers went to Sidney Spit last week to explore the coastline. We saw some animals along the way including, bald eagles, river otters and deer. We took advantage of this opportunity and collected some garbage off the beach. Come and see for yourself how littering affects the environment and learn how you can make a difference!

A new adventure…

learnmore — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:29:25 +0000

Our male Giant Pacific Octopus was sucessfully released back into the ocean on February 13th to enjoy the rest of his life in the Salish Sea. He was an ambassador for his species and inspired many people. Come and meet our new female octopus and learn about her special adaptations.

Ocean Discovery Centre Attendance Milestone – CHEK News

pr — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:00:55 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/user/ShawOceanDiscovery#p/a/u/0/m81VTZx6toQ

Graham Suntok, The 100,000th Visitor

admin — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:31:49 +0000

At 11:00 AM today (January 23, 2010), eleven year old Graham Suntok was identified as the 100,000^th visitor to the new Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre in Sidney.

Graham, a grade six student at Royal Oak Elementary School, was visiting the Centre with his dad Steve and sisters Leah, age nine and Reese, age two. Graham and his classmates will soon be taking a free trip to the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre to participate in the Centre’s environmental education program. He also received the remarkable new book Ocean Census. As the Centre’s new Ocean Ambassador for Youth, Graham will participate in special events and invite 24 of his friends to explore the Centre.

The number of visitors to the award winning discovery centre during the seven months since the Centre opened on June 20, 2009 has more than doubled attendance projections. The Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre is extremely popular among families; 38% of the Centre’s visitors are under age 17.

“Our educators and volunteer Oceaneer team are thrilled to share their knowledge of marine life of the Salish Sea with throngs of curious visitors and engaged kids like Graham.” says Angus Matthews, Executive Director at the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre. “Attendance has been double expectations because of the personal visitor experiences provided by our dedicated Oceaneers and amazing animals of the Salish Sea in our displays.”

About the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre

The Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre is an aquarium and marine education centre focused on the amazing ecosystem of the Salish Sea. The Centre operates as a not-for-profit community facility that is self supporting through admission fees, grants and donations. The Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre is governed, funded and owned by the New Marine Centre Society. Funds for the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre were raised through generous community support, and a major donation from Shaw Communications. The Centre is located in a spectacular waterfront building in Sidney, BC.

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For further information, contact Angus Matthews, Executive Director – 250-858-4427 angus@oceandiscovery.ca or Robyn Waterman, Public Relations Manager – 250-665-7511 pr@oceandiscovery.ca

Click here to download PDF version

Love is in the ‘water’

learnmore — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 21:29:27 +0000

When male hermit crabs are courting a female they will ’sweep’ her off her feet by picking her up and carrying her around in her shell. Stay tuned for more courtship behaviours and mating rituals of animals in the Salish Sea!

Ever wondered just how BIG a blue whale is?

learnmore — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:19:51 +0000

The 26 m long skeleton of a blue whale is on display at The Blue Whale Project Workshop (211 Harbour Road). Check it out! The next open house is February 9th from 5:30-8:30.

For more info please visit http://sites.google.com/site/bluewhaleproject/

What ocean animal weighs up to seven tonnes and eats only plankton?

learnmore — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:39:14 +0000

Basking Sharks feed on zooplankton and are thought to be capable of filtering over 1800 tonnes of water per hour!

Pacific Spiny Lumpsuckers

learnmore — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:25:13 +0000

Move over grunt sculpins, theres a new cute fish in town! This new addition to the center is only 1.5 inches long! These fish are a must see and can be found in the piling habitat by the touch pool.