We hope you'll join us for a fun evening that's also a fundraiser for sharks and rays! Here's the schedule:
5:30 p.m - Suds for Sharks: The evening kicks off with a fundraiser featuring sharktastic socializing, pizza, beer and soda, and the chance to talk to Dr. Al Dove.
7 p.m. - Wonderful Whale Sharks
By Dr. Alistair Dove, Museum of Science and History
You might think that by now we would know more about the world's largest fish, but whale sharks remain an enduring mystery. Where and how do they mate? Where are they born? Where are all the babies? How do they get so big? Why aren't they even bigger? How do they sense the world around them? And what's with all the spots, anyway? A recent flurry of research on these questions, and many more, has been made possible by the discovery of some places where they gather seasonally in reliable numbers, relatively close to the coast. But these aggregations, or constellations as scientists call them, don't tell the whole story. This talk will explore the biology and conservation challenges facing one of the ocean's most enigmatic residents, highlight some of the more vexing questions that remain, and along the way give guests a whale shark's eye view of some of most exotic locations in the world.
Originally from Australia, Dr. Alistair Dove currently serves as the CEO of the Museum of Science and History in Jacksonville Florida. He is a leading authority on whale sharks and is the co-editor of "Whale Sharks: Biology, Ecology, and Conservation."
Event Costs: To raise money for shark and ray conservation efforts, entry to the reception and lecture is a $20 donation that includes one beer OR a soda and a slice of pizza. Proceeds from the event will be donated to AZA's SAFE (Saving Animals from Extinction) Sharks and Rays program. If you do not wish to make a donation, attending the lecture only is free.
Parking: Become a member to receive free parking!