The Gallery Ambassador(s) at the Touch Tank station is(are) responsible for showing animals to guests, providing information about them, and assuring that the animals are not overly stressed in the process. The handling and presentation of the animals is to be controlled by the Gallery Ambassadors. Animals can be touched by the guests with fingertips, but are not to be removed from the water to ensure both the safety of the guests and also the animals.
Animal Handling/Touch Tank Procedures
To keep our animals healthy, they are to remain in the water and under our control at all times. We have a large bin that attaches to the side of the tank closest to our guests. Make sure to fill the container with water. There are holes on each side of the container, which allows water to circulate. This is essential for maintaining a hospitable environment and the well-being of our animals. Place the white board in properly so the animals are within touching distance for our visitors. Specimens in the container should be rotated at least twice each day—more frequently during periods of high visitation.
Animals should be kept in the water at all times. If you see a guest that needs special assistance to be able to interact with an animal, please be proactive and offer to bring an animal to them in a container, which is located to the side of, or below the touch tank
Check the Touch Tank animal schedule (velcroed on the side of the tank) to see which animals are available for touching on that day. If you cannot find some animals that are listed, please let volunteer supervisor know. Put deceased animals in the small plastic bags provided and let either an aquarist or volunteer supervisor know you removed a dead animal. Do not dispose of them in the public trash container. Remember to record the information on the mortality log.
All sea stars & horseshoe crabs are kept in the left bay of the tank overnight to avoid predation among tank residents.
There are separate instructions for use & location of the telephone for emergency contact while at the Touch Tank.
In the event of a fire alarm, move all of the animals from the touch bin to the bottom of the tank and evacuate the building. You do not need to close up the tank before evacuating. When the all clear is given and we can re-enter the building immediately return to the open tank.
Here is a video for how to set-up the intertidal touch tank
Accessibility Bin Usage SOP The Maritime Aquarium has several touch tanks where visitors can touch and feel animals under the close supervision of a volunteer or educator. Some of these tanks are equipped with accessibility bins that can be used in situations where a guest may not be able to reach or otherwise access the animals in the touch tank. The protocols below should be followed when using one of these accessibility bins.
Procedure
1) Accessibility bins are only to be used for patrons that cannot access the animals in the tank. Excessive bin use may result in additional stress to the touch tank animals.
2) Animals may only be placed in an accessibility bin if they fit in the bin with room to turn around, and if they are fully submerged in the water.
3) Ensure the bin is clean before use. If necessary, bring the bin to a nearby handwashing station and rinse it out before use.
4) Make sure to fill the bin with enough water to completely submerge the animal. Ensure that the animal is completely submerged the whole time it is in the bin, do not lift the animal out of the bin to show it to patrons. If using the bin at Jiggle a Jelly, do not grab the jelly and place it in the bin – Use the bin to scoop the jelly up without touching it. Do not overfill the bin with water or it may be too heavy to carry.
5) Carefully bring the bin to the patron and allow them to touch the animal following the same rules for the touch tank. Do not use the accessibility bin to transport animals to another location in the building. The bins are only to be used in the immediate vicinity of the touch tank.
6) Each bin has a piece of electrical tape across the bottom. One side will be designated for touching the animal, the other will be designated as a refuge area. The staff using the bin can decide which end of the bin will be touch and which will be refuge. Guests are not to touch animals if they move to the refuge side of the bin.
7) Animals and their water must be changed out between use. Animals and their water should not stay in an accessibility bin for more than 5 minutes.
8) While the bin is in use, staff must place a digital thermometer in the bin and monitor the temperature throughout the 5 minutes of use. If the temperature in the bin rises by 1 degree, the animal and their water must immediately be returned to the touch tank. Digital thermometers are available at each touch tank – make sure they have a functional battery before use.
9) When done, gently place the animals and their water back in the touch tank and store the bin in its location. Do not use the bins to store items or trash.
10) If water is spilled while using the bin, please make sure to clean it up afterwards. For large spills, maintenance should be called to the tank.
Animal Husbandry Dept- Accessibility bins at touch tanks
1 point
True or False: Animal Husbandry has created a rotation list showing what intertidal animals can be displayed and touched for each day of the week.
1 point
True or False: Seastars and Horseshoe Crabs stay in the same bay overnight as the rest of the intertidal animals.
1 point
True or False: In the event of a fire alarm you must completely close the touch tank
