Download TABLE OF CONTENTS - North Carolina Aquariums

North Carolina Aquariums
“Well-Adapted” Scavenger Hunt
Look for clues to answer the questions in the different galleries of the aquarium!
In the Mountains!
1. ___Muskies______ My teeth are specially designed to lurk and lunge to catch my prey. Who
am I?
2. Why are Rainbow Trout only found in water below 70°F? They require cool water that is very
oxygen rich. (Warm water does not hold oxygen as well as cold water.)
3. Think about all the different kinds of minnows; what advantages would silvery sides or
longer pointed snouts offer? Longer pointed snouts would allow them to reach food items in
rock crevices (mountain streams are very rocky!). Silvery sides, which flash in the sun, help
the fish blend in with light reflecting in fast moving mountain streams.
Exploring the Piedmont
4. ____Otter______ My dense fur traps air between my skin and the water to keep me warm.
Who am I?
5. How do Grass Carp help the ponds they are living in? How can this same behavior be bad
for their ponds? Grass carp eat plants (grass and algae) that tend to “clog” ponds if not
controlled. However, if they overeat the vegetation, other species might not have appropriate
habitat. Also plants and roots help stabilize the soil and prevent erosion of the banks of the
ponds.
6. Why would habitat loss be such a problem for otters or other creatures? When habitat is
lost, these animals would have nowhere to live or reproduce. They may not be able to adapt to
living in a man-made world and changing habitat.
Crossing the Coastal Plains
Alligator’s eyes and nose
are found on top of its
head.
Tail: where an
alligator stores fat,
which allows it to go
for up to 2yrs without
eating!
Alligators can run
up to 35 mph for
short bursts!
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES
 MICHAEL F. EASLEY, GOVERNOR  WILLIAM G. ROSS JR., SECRETARY  DAVID R. GRIFFIN, DIVISION DIRECTOR 
ACCREDITED BY THE AMERICAN ZOO AND AQUARIUM ASSOCIATION
North Carolina Aquariums
“Well-Adapted” Scavenger Hunt
Taming the Tidal Waters
7. ____Sheepshead______I use my special front teeth to pry off barnacles and crush them.
Who am I?
8. What purpose do a nurse shark’s barbells serve? The mouth of a nurse shark is positioned
on the bottom or underneath. The barbells are sensory organs that the shark uses to detect
food hidden in the sand or in low visibility.
9. Compare and contrast sea turtles and pond turtles in the Venn diagram below. Look at the
turtles in “Beaver Creek Dam” and the “Logger Odyssey” for clues.
Sea Turtles
--Flippers
--Flatter Shell
--Smaller Back Feet
--Larger Front Feet
Pond Turtles
--Claws
--Strong beak
--Scales
--Shell
--Webbed Feet
--More rounded
shell
--Feet are equal in
size
Open Ocean
10. __Shark____________ I use bioelectric fields to sense where prey might be. Who am I?
11. What creature feature allows octopus’s to grip their slippery prey? Tentacles with 2 rows of
“suckers”
12. How could creatures like lionfish, from faraway places like Japan end up in the Atlantic
Ocean? Intentionally released by humans, picked up in a ship’s bilge and then released when
the ship flushes its bilge, home aquaria releases, etc.
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES
 MICHAEL F. EASLEY, GOVERNOR  WILLIAM G. ROSS JR., SECRETARY  DAVID R. GRIFFIN, DIVISION DIRECTOR 
ACCREDITED BY THE AMERICAN ZOO AND AQUARIUM ASSOCIATION