The Wonderful World of Color is especially brilliant
under the sea in the world’s many coral reef communities.
But here on South Padre Island, surrounded by the shallows
of the Gulf of Mexico and the shallows of the Laguna
Madre Bay, the colors take on a different look. The
greens of the grass beds are filled with a diversity
of marine life that is unique and fascinating. There
are no coral reefs here so any form of structure creates
an artificial reef, such as the jetties or sunken objects.
The rich grass beds of the bay form a virtual nursery
for many species. When a colorful creature is seen it
is a real treat around here.
Most of the seahorses we find here are brown so that
they blend in with their surroundings better, but occasionally
an orange or yellow seahorse is found. They are a favorite
with everyone and it is hard to think of them as a fish.
They seem more like a little marine mammal. They thrive
in an aquarium setting as long as they are fed and maintained
properly, so we do have them on exhibit at the SPI Sealife
Center.
Here we can use their exhibit to learn about them and
to help promote conservation on their behalf. Seahorses
are under great threat of becoming endangered thru out
the world, so we have to help their plight. One way
we can help is not to buy dried sea horses as souvenirs.
There have been many times we have picked up a dried
sea horse in a souvenir shop and seen the dried babies
in a dried male’s pouch. Over two hundred babies
died for the sake of a few dollars.
One of the missions of the Sealife Center is to promote
eco friendly gift shopping so we as tourists do not
put demands on marine life to be killed to sell to us
a souvenirs. If we don’t buy them there is no
reason to kill the sea life. Snorkeling, diving and
aquariums allow us to view them alive.
Of course some things are eaten and that is different,
for eating is part of nature. But when it comes to Octopus,
they have stolen my heart and after having them for
friends I cannot bring myself to eat them. We also have
them on exhibit at the center and they become part of
the family. They all have different personalities and
they also have different food preferences. Some will
love to eat hermit crabs and others refuse to touch
them. Some are aggressive and others quite shy. It is
fun to watch them eat as they delicately take the food
from our hands, feeling the difference between the hand
and food with their many suction cups.
Enjoying the nature of South Padre Island is half the
fun of visiting here. The South Padre Island Dolphin
Research and Sealife Center is located at 5009 Padre
Blvd #12 and have a daily educational program at 1:00.
The Coastal Studies Lab is located in Isla Blanca Park
and is open to the public from 1:30 to 4:30 every day
except Saturday.
Sea Turtle Inc. is located north on the Island and is
open from 10 to 4 everyday except Monday.
Schlitterbahn also has a sea life exhibit and encounter
and the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville is a great
place to visit as well. |
Scarlet and George Colley of South Padre
Island's "Fins
to Feathers" have been filming and documenting
their dolphins for eight years. They operate a tour business
on the Island and write seven articles a month for local papers
on the nature of the Island.
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