CELEBRATING WORLD OCEAN DAY
Written by Hannah Peterson
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On June 8th, we celebrate World Ocean Day. The ocean is an incredibly important body of water that supports our Earth. Many people interact with the ocean in different ways, and a great variety of species call the ocean home. Here at Aeon for Ocean, our goal is to increase education about the ocean and its importance, specifically by teaching kids and getting kids involved in educating their peers. What is your relationship with the ocean?
Many people find the ocean to be a great vacation destination, are interested in exploring for research, or have a career directly related to the ocean. Some careers we have highlighted in past newsletters are marine photographers, marine biologists, hydrologists, and marine mammal researchers. We will introduce aquatic veterinarians below and introduce more ocean-related jobs in the coming months. All of these professionals demonstrate a passion for the ocean, and you can too!
World Ocean Day has an interesting history. In 1992, Canada proposed the idea of a “World Ocean Day” at the Earth Summit. In 2002, the Ocean Project began promoting and coordinating World Ocean Day as a global event. In 2003, a website was launched to support the event and there were 25 events held in 15 different countries. In 2008, the United Nations officially recognized June 8th as World Oceans Day. In 2016, the World Ocean Day Youth Advisory Council was launched. In 2019, there were over 2,000 events in over 140 countries. In 2020, new branding and a new website was created, social media following grew to 454 million, and a Youth-a-thon was held over 24 hours.
It is a time for people all around the world to celebrate the ocean, a large water body that connects us all. In addition to celebrating, we can take action to create a better future for our ocean, which is suffering alarming environmental damage. A great way to do this is joining forces with friends, family, your workplace, or your community and finding a way to make a difference. The 2021 Conservation Action Focus is to protect 30% of our blue planet for a healthy ocean and climate by 2030. If we all take action, this goal is achievable. Learn more about how to get involved at the World Ocean Day website.
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SPOTLIGHT CAREER: AQUATIC VETERINARIAN
Written by Hannah Peterson
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An aquatic veterinarian is a great career choice for anyone interested in marine animals and medicine. These professionals work closely with a variety of marine species including fish, sea lions, whales, dolphins, turtles, jellyfish, lobsters, and octopi providing healthcare to the animals. Aquatic veterinarians often find employment in zoos, aquariums, or museums, as well as private veterinary practices or out in the field on ships. Some of their main duties include diagnosing illness, prescribing treatment, and implementing disease prevention and control, in addition to helping injured animals. To become an aquatic veterinarian, one must first get a college degree and go to veterinary school. Because aquatic medicine is more specialized than traditional veterinary medicine, it is also recommended to get additional education and practical experience in the field. Some ways to do this include volunteering at rehabilitation facilities, research labs, or aquariums, much of which can be done while still in school. For anyone working in aquatic veterinary medicine or those who are interested in the career field, the International Association for Aquatic Animal Medicine (IAAAM) is a great resource to learn more about aquatic animal research, teaching, and medicine.
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SPOTLIGHT SPECIES: AMAZON RIVER DOLPHIN
Written by Brennan Engel
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The Pink river dolphin of the Amazon is a fascinating and fantastic creature. Its bright pink color sets it apart from other dolphins in our world. Another feature that sets it apart is its size. It is the largest freshwater dolphin, growing up to 9ft long. These dolphins also have some very unique traits. Because their vertebrae are unfused, they can turn their heads up to a 90 degree angle to maneuver around underwater obstacles like tree roots or fallen logs. They can independently control their flippers and have them go in opposite directions for precise and sharp turning ability. Living in the rivers within the Amazon jungle, this freshwater dolphin has one of the largest diets of toothed whales. It feeds off of over 53 different fish species. Because of the diversity of its diet, the fresh water dolphin is an indicator species. Its success directly correlates to the success of the ecosystem around it. Freshwater dolphins are facing many threats such as their food sources being over hunted by local fishermen or mercury pollution from small scale gold mines throughout the Amazon that poison rivers and kill the dolphins and their food.
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World Ocean Day Interview
To help celebrate World Ocean Day, we will be having an interview with Dr. Gaspar from the ‘Te mana o te moana’ organization based in French Polynesia. Stay tuned to hear more about the conversation.
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Virtual Beach/Park Cleanup
Our Virtual Beach/Park Cleanup is still going on, and you have until June 30th to send us a photo! We will be choosing one winner on World Ocean Day (June 8th) and another after the event is complete.
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World Reef Awareness Day
June 1st is World Reef Awareness Day, a time to consider the beautiful reefs on Earth and what we can do to protect them from threats such as coral bleaching. Check out the World Reef Day website for more details.
World Ocean Day
June 8th is World Ocean Day, where we celebrate what Aeon for Ocean is all about. The Ocean is a very important ecosystem that is home to many fascinating creatures. World Ocean Day is a day to focus on the importance of the ocean and what can be done to conserve it. Check out the World Ocean Day website to learn how to get involved.
World Sea Turtle Day
Sea turtle week begins on June 8th and goes until June 16th which is World Sea Turtle Day. This week and designated day for turtles is a time to address the different species of sea turtles as well as the threats they face. Check out the Sea Turtle Week website to see each day's theme and learn more about sea turtles.
June Team Member Birthdays
June 4th: Neha Bhatt, HR Associate
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Meet Smarty! Smarty the Orca is another one of the mascots Aeon created. Stay tuned to social media and future newsletters to learn more about Smarty and the other mascots.
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MEET THE NEW MEMBERS OF OUR POD
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Since our last newsletter, we have added one new member to our team. We are excited for his contributions to Aeon for Ocean.
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Brennan Engel
Publishing Associate |
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OPPORTUNITIES AT AEON FOR OCEAN
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Are you interested in joining our team and helping to contribute to ocean conservation? We are currently looking to fill the following positions:
- Education Program Lead
- Education Associate
- Board of Directors
- Graphic Designer
- Social Media Associate
- Publishing Associate
More information can be found at VolunteerMatch.
Interested applicants can send their resume to hr@aeonforocean.org
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