It might have been our last day for 4-H Biotech camp but it was a doosy. Today we travelled to Fort Fisher Aquarium to learn about the biology of crabs, and other marine animals. Of course it didn't hurt that we got to get wet too.
The morning started with salt water crabbing, at the Fort Fisher Aquarium. Our staff leaders gave us instructions on equipment and helped us split up into pairs, before our hike toward the ocean. We stopped at a little inlet and baited our safety pin hooks with little fish and cast it near us in the water. As something nibbled on our fish we tried to scoop it up in our nets. We had several crabs caught by our wiley crab catchers. After catching the crabs we examined them and learned weather or not they were male or female and why. We saw one that only had one claw and learned that crabs have a defense mechanism that allows them to drop a leg or claw if something has hold of it so they can get away. Their leg or claw will grow back over time and they can function well with out it in the meantime. All the crabs we caught were released back into the inlet without being harmed.
After leaving the water, and changing into dry shoes and clothes we had lunch and then headed back into the aquarium. There we got to see an albino alligator like we heard about at the science museum on Monday. We also got see poisonous tree frogs, all sorts of marine life like fish, stingrays, and sharks. We learned about lobsters and whales and got to see the diver in the big fish tank as he talked to us about the fish he was swimming with. There were eels and seahorses, and stuff we just don't normally see. It was a fun filled day that gave us learning, opened up new avenues, and made us think about our future.
We are hoping to have another program next year with new adventures and new opportunities to see what the world of biotech has in store for us now and in the future.
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