If you can’t go to the ocean, why not have it come to you?
Thanks to the efforts of the Vancouver Aquarium Aquavan, that will be happening in the area starting this week.
The Aquavan, a large trailer containing live marine animals, such as crabs, anemones, sea urchins and more, is visiting communities throughout Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Tomorrow, the Aquavan stops at Hussar School to give the students, some who may never get the chance to see the animals in the wild, a glimpse of the fascinating creatures that live in our oceans.
“We try to have different things come to Hussar School at least once a month. It’s something that prairie kids would probably not have seen before,” said Linda Moczulski. “We’re excited they’re coming.”
The Aquavan then heads off to Saskatchewan, but will come back and be in the Royal Tyrrell Museum on September 14 and 15.
“The head of education at the Vancouver Aquarium got in contact with me and let me know they were going to be in Alberta,” said Tyrrell Museum education coordinator Earle Wiebe. “They asked us if they could come here.”
On September 14, classes from Drumheller will get to see the animals in a series of sessions with the Aquavan team.
“It’ll be excellent for the students. They’ll get a chance to see creatures they don’t typically get to see,” said Wiebe. “We’re hoping to draw that link between the living animals and the extinct ones for both the school groups and the public.”
The Vancouver Aquarium Aquavan will be visiting the area starting this week. Inside is a huge collection of marine touch tanks containing sea creatures such as crabs, sea urchins and cucumbers, and more. The Aquavan will be at Hussar School tomorrow and will be in Drumheller on September 14 and 15. On the 15th, the Aquavan team will set up their touch tanks in the Royal Tyrrell Museum galleries for the public to learn and enjoy.
The Aquavan team, and touch tanks will be set up in the Tyrrell Museum galleries the following day so the public can see and learn about the different creatures that inhabit the oceans. The Aquavan touch tanks will be set up between the Burgess Shale and Devonian Reef exhibits.
“The public will be able to get up close with the animals. There will be a touch tank with different creatures with the Aquavan educators. We felt it would be the perfect location for them. They can relate to the creatures we see today to the extinct ones in the Burgess Shale and Devonian Reef,” said Wiebe.
Those wishing to see the display must pay admission for the Tyrrell Museum.
“It’s an extra bonus, they’ll get a chance to see a lot of cool creatures,” said Wiebe.
The Aquavan will then travel to Linden and Acme Schools on September 18 and 19, respectively.
The stops in Alberta were sponsored by Encana, while Cenovus helped bring the Aquavan to Saskatchewan.
The Aquavan has been travelling across Western Canada every summer since 1994. In that time, it is estimated 400,000 students, teachers, and families have participated.
“It’s an opportunity that a lot of people might not get the chance to experience unless they headed to the Vancouver Aquarium,” said Wiebe.
