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News from The Florida Aquarium
January 5, 2026
Santa’s Post-Christmas Getaway Returns to The Florida Aquarium
Santa Claus is once again making The Florida Aquarium his post-Christmas destination, offering families a relaxed and uniquely Florida way to extend the holiday season. From December 26 through January 1, guests can visit Santa’s Wharf daily from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for photos with Santa in his tropical attire. **CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD…
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February 12, 2026
First Turtles of the Cold-Stun Season Arrive at The Florida Aquarium
Facing water temperatures that plunged into the 50s following the recent Arctic blast, hundreds of green sea turtles have stranded off the Gulf coast along Florida’s Panhandle. In just the past ten days, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has rescued more than 600 cold-stunned sea turtles. FWC determined two of those turtles...
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February 12, 2026
Fifth Graders Become Field Scientists at The Florida Aquarium’s Conservation Campus
With clipboards and test tubes in hand, fifth graders from Yates Elementary School traded their desks for mangrove trails, pond banks, and the Tampa Bay shoreline as they became field scientists for the day at The Florida Aquarium’s Conservation Campus in Apollo Beach. As part of the Aquarium’s decade-long Watershed Investigations program, students rotated through...
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February 2, 2026
ThunderBug Dives into Adventure at The Florida Aquarium for the Historic Stadium Series
Fans watching yesterday’s NHL’s Stadium Series coverage may have seen videos of beloved Tampa Bay Lightning mascot ThunderBug exploring Tampa Bay in search of hidden treasure. As part of the excitement surrounding the NHL’s first-ever outdoor hockey game in a Florida football stadium, ThunderBug made a memorable stop at The Florida Aquarium, where his treasure...
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January 23, 2026
From Parade to Purpose: Recycle Gasparilla Beads at The Florida Aquarium
Every Gasparilla season, thousands of beads are tossed into the air, and too many end up in Tampa Bay. To help keep plastics out of the local waterways, The Florida Aquarium is once again partnering with the City of Tampa on the Bead-Free Bay initiative. The effort turns a fun tradition into a meaningful way...
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January 21, 2026
The Florida Aquarium’s Stingrays Return to TECO’s Manatee Viewing Center
Seven cownose stingrays from The Florida Aquarium are once again gliding through Cownose Cove at TECO’s Manatee Viewing Center in Apollo Beach. The return marks the reopening of the popular touch habitat following extensive repairs after damage from Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The seven male cownose rays, known for the uniquely shaped “cow-like” nose that...
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January 21, 2026
Penguin Awareness Day Highlights Critically Endangered African Penguins
They waddle, they dive, and they charm guests with their unmistakable bray, and African penguins continue to capture hearts around the world. This Penguin Awareness Day, The Florida Aquarium is celebrating this charismatic animal while highlighting the important conservation efforts underway to protect this remarkable species for the future. Guests are invited to connect with...
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