Jack Rudloe's grandson visits on a school field trip |
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During the months of April and May, we usually have 5-8 field trips each week and this year was no different! A special treat, however, was Gilchrist Elementary school bringing their students to our aquarium. Pictured below is Jack Rudloe, our founder, with his very own grandson who was a part of the Gilchrist tour! One of Gulf Specimen's main missions is to educate the youth about ocean conservation and it was a very special moment for us to see the same interest in different generations of Rudloes! |
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A lifetime of seashells donated to Gulf Specimen |
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A very exciting and generous donation was made to Gulf Specimen this month. A lifelong collection of seashells collected by Andree Nuzzo throughout her world travels! According to Mark Sauer, who brought us Nuzzo's collection, these 10 boxes of seashells were collected from over 78 countries worldwide! We plan on building shelving in our new education center and displaying these beautiful "Seashells of the world" for all to see! This project has no finish date because a lot of work needs to be done! Shelves need to be built and these beautiful and unique shells need to be identified and sorted into regions of the world, but we are so excited to tackle this project and create a beautiful display! |
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Volunteer Florida's staff retreat at the Anne Rudloe Marine Science Center |
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On Friday, May 6th we had Volunteer Florida visit Gulf Specimen for their staff retreat! They reserved our Anne Rudloe Marine Science Center for their scheduled lecture, enjoyed an interactive guided tour through our aquarium, and even had lunch at a local restaurant!
With their interest, we decided to start offering this space to other groups and organizations to use for club meetings, staff retreats, lectures, and more! We have added a section to our Anne Rudloe website page, but we are still working out the major details! |
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A Gulf Specimen lecture on Florida rivers |
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Continuing on with hosting a monthly lecture, we had the pleasure of hosting writer and photographer, Doug Alderson! Alderson's lecture topic was Florida Rivers and people thoroughly enjoyed it! We had about 20 in attendance!
We are already planning lectures for the months to follow so make sure to stay up to date by following our Facebook page! |
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New interns: Victoria & Alaina |
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 | Victoria just graduated from Jacksonville University with a Bachelor in Marine Science and a minor in illustration. She’s always had a passion for the ocean and has always wanted to study everything pertaining to it. Interning at Gulf Specimen Marine Lab is giving her the opportunity to gain more hands-on experience, preparing her for future job opportunities. Her favorite part of being an intern at Gulf Specimen is being able to care for the animals and seeing the excitement in kid's faces when they learn something new. Her favorite specimens in the lab are the purple sea urchins, the stingrays, nurse sharks, our resident loggerhead sea turtle and the remora fish. Victoria would like to go for her master focusing conservation and would like to pursue a career in coral reef restoration and conservation but is open to all opportunities that will be coming her way. |
| | | Alaina is entering the second-half of her senior year at Florida State University. Upon graduating with a B.S. in Biology, she plans to return to school to receive a M.S. in Evolution and Ecology. She has been passionate about science and the environment starting from a young age. Through the connections she has made at Florida State University, she found Gulf Specimen Marine Lab. Alaina is uncertain about whether she would like to pursue research or work at a non-profit organization. Gulf Specimen Marine Lab has allowed her to gain experience and ultimately finetune her career aspirations for the future. Her favorite duty as an intern is doing daily feedings, as she enjoys hands-on interactions with the organisms. Alaina’s favorite specimens at the lab are the Giant Red Hermit, Scrawled Cowfish, the Rays, and Lil Herc. |
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Have you seen our newest addition to our Anne Rudloe Marine Science Center? This turtle clock was one of Jack Rudloe's amazing ideas and adds so much character to the building!
Designed after his book, Time of the Turtle, the clock's meaning is much deeper than perceived. The clock symbolizes that the turtle's time is constantly moving while the earth's clock is running out. The turtle is on a timer which allows it to spin slowly during the day. |
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Our 2022 summer camp openings still available |
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We still have openings for our summer camp! We have about 10 spots available for our summer camp for the week of June 20-24th!
If you know anyone with kids who completed kindergarten through 5th grade interested in a marine science summer opportunity, call us today at (850)984-5297!
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Wonders of the Gulf: Creature Feature |
| North Florida is gifted with an amazing array of diverse animals where we find fascinating creatures. Our exhibits change every season. |
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Clear Sea Squirt: Transparent solitary forms that grow in massive clusters. Internal organs can be viewed through the body wall. |
| Ocellated Moray Eel: A beautiful animal with speckled yellow and black body, and a dorsal fin that runs the length of the body. Colorful and docile in the aquarium, but should be handled with care. |
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Red Cleaning Shrimp: They provide a rare combination of exotic beauty and a unique display of cleaning symbiosis at its most primitive stage. The body is longitudinally striped with ruby red, and the ventral thorax bears striking “Y” shaped markings. |
| Lettuce Sea Slug: Commonly found in warm, tropical waters, it has green and white ruffles resembling lettuce! Feeds on real sea lettuce and other algae. It is a sacoglossan which means that they are herbivores, and do not feed on sponges or hydroids. |
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