#environmental educator

[justabirdy]

Felt a little Ms. Frizzle this week. Gonna go get messy and make some mistakes, for science of course!

[ajaybird27]

“Hey, the divers pulled these out of our Gulf habitat. Do you wanna take them out to show people during your talk?”

“Hell yeah I do!!”

These are nurse shark eggs!! Interestingly enough, nurse sharks are ovoviviparous, so if the eggs are viable, they hatch inside the female, and she will give live birth. Since these were infertile, the female just dumped the eggs.

You’ll also see shark and skate eggs referred to as a mermaid’s purse because they look like little pouches when they wash up on beaches.

[ahhvernin]

So today at work, I was mistaken as a student at a middle school.

TWICE

One asked why I wasn’t in class.

The other asked “Where is your teacher.”

I’m turning 29 tomorrow.

I am the teacher.

oTL

[ajaybird27]

I had a kid very excitedly telling me about how he was about to go on his first cruise today. As they left the aquarium, I said “enjoy your cruise!”

The kid responded “thank you! Enjoy your taking care of the animals!”

My heart.

[ajaybird27]

Me: so what do you think this sea urchin eats?

Kid: allergy!

[ajaybird27]

A lot of times, when I bring a tarantula out on program, I get a ton of negative reactions. Today everyone was pretty nice, though! Even if they were nervous at first, by the end of our conversation they told me how pretty and cool the spider was. Spider win!

[ajaybird27]

Kids: we’re all cousins!

Me: that’s so cool! Do y’all live nearby?

Kid: no! I live in another country!

Kid’s mom: honey, where do you live?

Kid: ummm. I don’t know.

Mom: Arizona. We’re from Arizona.

Me: ah. The foreign country of Arizona.

[ajaybird27]

Some of the lovely critters at work