Flint RiverQuarium in downtown Albany to host World Oceans Day

ALBANY — The Flint RiverQuarium will be celebrating World Oceans Day on Saturday and Sunday with a weekend full of activities designed to showcase ocean and beach conservation.

Officials say the highlight of the weekend will be on Sunday when the Sea Mobile from the Gulf Specimens Marine Laboratory will be in Albany. Jack Rudloe, author and founder of the Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratory, will be giving talks on Saturday and Sunday in the Imagination Theater at the RiverQuarium.

The festivities will be from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday at the 117 Pine Ave. facility. Some of the things attendees will be able to do is fill in chalk outline critters, learn how to tell trash from natural materials by touch, meet some creatures from Seaview Aquariums and Chehaw and learn about the trash in the area’s rivers as well as the impact it has on the environment from agencies such as Lee County Code Enforcement.

The event will also give the community an opportunity to be introduced to the RiverQuarium’s newest resident — a mimic octopus. From the Pacific Ocean near Indonesia, it is a species that reaches a maximum length of about two feet from mantle tip to arm tip. It is named a mimic octopus because it mimics, or pretends to be, other more dangerous animals such as a lion fish, a sea snake or a flatfish.

The Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratory, based in Panacea, Fla., will offer people the chance on Sunday to get hands-on with touch tanks featuring creatures like starfish, sea urchins, conch, crabs, sponges and a variety of other sea life from the Gulf of Mexico with its Sea Mobile unit. The special presentations from Rudloe will be at 2:30 p.m. on both days, with “Shrimp” on Saturday and “Sea Turtles” on Sunday.

Meanwhile, there are two new movies that are having exclusive showings on both days at the Imagination Theater. “Plastic Paradise: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch” has showings at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, and 1:30 p.m. on Sunday. “Turtle: The Incredible Journey” is showing at noon and 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, and 3:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Everything except the movies is included with the price of admission, which is $9 for adults, $8 for seniors and $6.50 for children ages 4-12. Movies will be regular price at $6 for adults and seniors and $4.50 for children ages 4-12.

For more information, call the RiverQuarium at (229) 639-2650.