Aquababies weekend at Fort Fisher Aquarium

It was an aquababy day at North Carolina’s Fort Fisher Aquarium.

Hundreds of babies were allowed to enjoy all the aquarium had to offer ….but no diaper bag was needed.

It’s a rare occasion, but babies of many different species have taken over the Fort Fisher Aquarium. Baby turtles, alligators, snakes and even jellyfish were all on display for everyone’s viewing pleasure.

Aquarium technician Monica Dudley said, “The public doesn’t always get to see the babies that we have because they require so much care that we keep them in the back, so we can keep a close eye on them. We decided that this one weekend, we would bring them all out to see and interact with.”

Wilmington resident Korem Garrison said, “I like the babies. I like the baby alligator, too.”

Crowds were able to get up close and personal with these youngsters, all under a year old. Many of the human little ones were able to relate, and occasionally even steal the show.

Bonnie Braswell of Raleigh stated, “She loves turtles, so we were really excited to see the baby turtles and be able to hold them and touch them so that was fun for her.”

Wilmington’s Suzanne Perez said, “This one right here loves animals, so for her to see the babies it’s more familiar to her. Rather than looking at really big, adult animals, she gets to see babies just like her.”

Seeing these babies in action was the aquarium’s chance to educate the public on the importance of protecting these creatures.

Dudley added, “It’s very important that we protect the environment because there are so many obstacles out there for them. We are able to educate the public here and let them know what they can do to help make these babies survive out in the wild.”

Emily Rasmussen noted, “Without the babies, they will go extinct. You don’t realize how much they impact your environment and your life.”

Aquababies continues on Sunday at the Fort Fisher Aquarium. The exhibit closes at 5 p.m.