Noyo Center for Marine Science
Discovery Center, 338 N. Main St. 95437 Fort Bragg, CA, US

You're looking at the oldest, wild orca male on record, still alive today. Transient orca T087, is 60 years old and he ain't stoppin' yet! T087 spends his time... with friends and family, off the coast of British Columbia Canada. P.S. The average lifespan for captive orca, specifically at U.S. based SeaWorld, is just 16 years of age. Brendon Bissonette with Eagle Wing Whale Watching Tours .

Today, for the first time, we are making public some of the architectural concept designs we have spent the last year preparing with help and input from community members. Stay tuned over the coming months as we share more and more details. We are excited to kick off the unveiling process by highlighting one of the design's fundamental features, affectionately referred to as the "mama and baby whale." The design features two buildings, parallel to one another, with a passage ...between the two. This provides a functional delineation between the exhibition area and office/lab space, and cuts a unique and striking profile on the headlands. The larger building - the "mama whale" - will have plenty of space to present our dramatic blue whale specimen as well as other exhibitions. Note that these designs are still in the conceptual stage. That said, we are thrilled to be sharing, and check back soon for more! ____ #noyocenter #noyo #marinescience #mendocino #fortbragg #design #architecture #headlands #whales #mamaandbaby #staytuned #science #oceans #nature #exhibitions #museum #research

This Friday’s fabulous featured creature is called the Velcro Star (Stylasterias forreri). Stylasterias is a genus of starfish in the family Asteriidae. Stylasterias forreri, the velcro star, is the only species in the genus. It is found on the Pacific coast of Canada and the United States at depths of 20-1745 feet. The physical appearance of the velcro star includes many large spines surrounded by wreaths of tiny pincers, and while it has the potential to grow up to 101 cm (...40 in) across it is usually considerably smaller. The common name refers to the super-sticky surface of this marine invertebrate. The velcro sea star is usually grey, black and pale brown, although more rarely it could be a yellowish straw-color. A subtle but deadly predator, the velcro sea star is also known as the long-armed, black sea star or fish-eating star. Thanks to the hundreds of relentless grabbers covering its top (see the image below for a magnified view) this sea star’s usual prey includes snails and chitons but it can even capture vertebrates (animals with spines). These grabbers, called pedicellariae, are like barbed fish hooks that are remarkably powerful. Ready to snap shut the instant they are touched, the circle of pincers rises up around each spine. This creates an effect of whatever brushes up against them sticking to this sea star like flypaper. What makes these sea stars stronger than most others are these toothy, plier-like grabbers, giving the velcro star the ability to snare small fish and scallops that accidentally land on its top (aboral) side. The velcro star uses its flexible arms to pull the meal under and to its mouth once it has ‘snagged’ its prey. Similar to last week’s slime sea star, this incredible creature has another unusual defensive feature: the velcro sea star may readily release one or more arms when stressed (which can occur when it’s picked up). PC: Seattle Aquarium ____ #noyocenter #noyo #marinescience #mendocinocoast #fortbragg #velcrostar #starfish #stressed #seattleaquarium https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etQWo6_8y_o&feature;=emb_logo

Last week, Redwood Creek reached the Pacific Ocean and a few coho salmon began swimming upstream! .. Each year when the season’s rains flow into the Redwood C...reek watershed, the amount of water in the creek increases and breaches across the sand on Muir Beach to connect to the Pacific Ocean. Fish species like coho salmon gather around the shores and river mouths, waiting for access so that they can migrate up to their winter habitat to spawn, and start the next generation of fish. Long term efforts by the Parks Conservancy and NPS continue to restore riparian habitats around Muir Beach and Redwood Creek. https://www.parksconservancy.org/p/redwood-creek-muir-beach . . ( 1: Rik Hansen / Parks Conservancy) ( 2: Kirke Wrench / NPS) . . . #ParksConservancy #GGNRA #nationalpark #nationalparks #nationalparkgeek #goparks #findyourpark #nationalparksusa #usnationalparks #nationalparklife #pacificocean #pacificcoast #oceantherapy #muirbeach #redwoodcreek #redwoodcreekrestoration #habitatrestoration #ecologicalrestoration #cohosalmon #steelheadtrout #redleggedfrog #endangeredspecies #fish #anadromousfish #winter #rivers #estuaries

We are really proud of the beautiful work that Heather Brogan-Gealey, Sarah Grimes and Richard Millis have done on our newest exhibit - the Pacific White-Sided Dolphin. Thank you Peter O'Donohue for writing this article and Robin Epley with the Fort Bragg Advocate-News for your help. https://www.advocate-news.com//mendocino-graduate-brings-/

NEMO, developed in collaboration with the FBHS robotics club, gives us the ability to extend our senses underwater. Deployed at sea from a boat, NEMO transmits live video, sound and instrument data from up to 300 feet beneath the surface to a monitor above, giving those aboard a chance to discover the marine environment first hand as well as monitor data related to ocean health and climate change. ____ #noyocenter #noyo #marinescience #mendocino #fortbragg #NEMO #robotsareourfriends #robots #robotics #roboticsclub #underwaterrobots #deepseaexploration #science #scientistsofthefuture #oceans #nature