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  space holder   FRIENDS OF HARBOR BRANCH
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  space holder   OCEAN DISCOVERY CENTER
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  space holder   EDUCATION
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events
 

 Tues, May 22     VIP Tour for HBOI/Members & Guests-Reservations required. 9:30am-11:30am. Meet at the Ocean Discovery Center at 9:30am. Join us for a morning of shoreline discovery on the Indian River Lagoon.

Wed, May 23 at 7pm

The Other Side of Harbor Branch: Conservation on the Scrub Ridge
Presented by Dr. Jon Moore
Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University

About the Lecture
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution was established in 1971 along the shoreline of the Indian River Lagoon. Large tracts of land were purchased at the inception of HBOI, but have remained relatively undisturbed since then. As the east coast of Florida has continued to develop over the decades, this undisturbed land at HBOI has become a de facto nature preserve. One particularly endangered habitat preserved along the west side of HBOI's property is Atlantic Coastal Ridge scrub. This presentation will describe research on and conservation of the endangered plants and animals found in scrub habitat.

Johnson Education Center, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University,  5600 US 1 North, Fort Pierce, FL.  Telephone 772-242-2506.

Tues, June 5       Eco-Boat Trip-departs from Harbor Branch’s Johnson Ed Center. Take a trip aboard the pontoon boat “Gator” to see birds, dolphins, turtles, manatees, and more. Departing 10:30am with lunch on the water from Harbor Branch’s Link Port Café, and return by 1pm. $40 pp. for members of the Friends; $50 pp. for nonmembers. Reservations required. Call (772) 242-2559 for information and reservations.

Wed, June 13    Gilbert’s Bar House of Refuge, Stuart, FL. 9 am till 1 pm. Meet at the Ocean Discovery Center to carpool down Hutchinson Island to the only house of refuge remaining of the ten built along the Treasure Coast at a time when sailing ships dominated world commerce. Enjoy a VIP tour of the original building and stories of historic shipwrecks by the keeper, Jim McCormick, and picnic lunch (included) on the porch overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and the Underwater Archaeological Preserve. Return after lunch. $20 pp. members; $25 pp. nonmembers. Reservations required. Call (772) 242-2559 for information and reservations.

Sat, June 23        Hot Dog Party and Book Signing. Ocean Discovery Center, 11am-1pm. Professor Clark The Science Shark is a new children’s book inspired by Harbor Branch’s own scientist and explorer Dr. Brian LaPointe. The authors will be on hand, along with Harbor Branch scientists and representatives from Shark Savers and COAST (Coastal Ocean Association of Science & Technology), to sign books and answer questions. $5 donation includes hot dog, soda and chips. Proceeds to “Feed the Fish.” Call (772) 242-2559 for information.

Wed, June 27    VIP Tour for HBOI/Members & Guests-Reservations required. 9:30am-11:30am. Meet at the Ocean Discovery Center at 9:30am. Explore special spots on campus. Call (772) 242-2559 for information and reservations. Open to the public this summer as space allows.

Thurs, July 12     Chill at the Johnson Education Center and watch Dolphin Tale. 1pm-3pm. This 2011 family film was inspired by the true story of “Winter,” a bottlenose dolphin that was rescued in 2005 off the Florida coast. Stephen McCulloch of HBOI’s Marine Mammal Research and Conservation Program will introduce the film and talk about marine mammal rescue in Florida. Free admission. Hot dogs and popcorn available. Call (772) 242-2559 for information.

Wed, July 18      VIP Tour for HBOI/Members & Guests-Reservations required. 9:30am-11:30am. Meet at the Ocean Discovery Center at 9:30am. Explore special spots on campus. Call (772) 242-2559 for information and reservations. Open to the public this summer as space allows.

Sat, July 21          Bioluminescent Kayak Tour at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Dinner at Dixie Crossroads (on your own). Depart Cracker Barrel near junction of Route #60 and I-95 (the outlet mall of Vero Beach) at 4:30pm. Return around midnight. During the warm summer months the waters of the Indian River Lagoon come alive with bioluminescence. Tiny dinoflagellates make the water light up and speeding fish become underwater fireworks. Then, huge schools of flying mullet make your evening one you will never forget! $35 pp for kayak trip. Call (772) 242-2559 for information and reservations.

Tues, July 24      Special Friends’ Project. 11am-1pm. $20 pp. members; $40 pp. nonmembers (lunch included). Only 48 seats available. Small group VIP venue with Dr. Shirley Pomponi presenting a talk about Undersea Exploration: Past, Present, and Future. Dr. Pomponi is an ocean explorer who has led numerous research expeditions worldwide and has made more than 300 dives in Harbor Branch’s Johnson-Sea-Link submersibles. She will speak about manned and unmanned submersibles, her current research at Harbor Branch, and notable deep sea accomplishments. Her talk will be followed by a buffet lunch in the Johnson Education Center Gallery prepared by Harbor Branch’s Link Port Café. Call (772) 242-2559 for information and reservations.

Tues, July 31     Eco-Boat Trip-departs from Harbor Branch’s Johnson Ed Center. Take a trip aboard the pontoon boat “Gator” to see birds, dolphins, turtles, manatees, and more. Departing 10:30am with lunch on the water from Harbor Branch’s Link Port Café, and return by 1pm. $40 pp. for members of the Friends; $50 pp. for nonmembers. Reservations required. Call (772) 242-2559 for information and reservations.


     FAU CALENDARS

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Details of the Dr. C. Dana Bossart Necropsy Laboratory
 

Ocean Health Home

Capabilities

  • Multiple post-mortem forensic examinations
  • Live video conferencing of necropsy procedures
  • Long-term storage of representative biological tissue samples
  • Long-term storage of paper records

Equipment

  • 2 custom-designed stainless-steel surgical tables
  • Large walk in cooler
  • Stainless steel surgical grade knives, dissection tools, and cutting boards
  • Compound microscope
  • On-site computer station
  • Advance video conferencing camera
  • Records room/technician offices
  • Climate control
  • Specialized hood for tissue processing and preparation

Interesting Facts

  • The average time to perform a thorough forensic examination of an adult Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is approximately 8 hours.
  • Our record of simultaneous marine mammal necropsies was 8 rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis) with over 20 staff, volunteers, and collaborators and 3 marine mammal veterinarians for over 15 consecutive hours, following a mass stranding of the species on the beaches of Indian River and St. Lucie County.
  • The two most commonly examined animals are the Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and the Pygmy Sperm Whale (Kogia breviceps).
  • A large whale heart can weigh up to 2,400 pounds and be up to 18 feet in length.
  • Pathologists are able to diagnose a disease microscopically with 1-cm square piece of tissue examined from a large organ regardless of the original organ’s size.
  • The age of a dolphin is determined by microscopic examination of a tooth. Like rings on an aging tree, dolphin teeth lay down layers of dentin each year of their life. These layers are then counted under a specialized microscope to determine the dolphin’s age.
 
FAU Campuses: Boca Raton/Davie/Dania Beach/Fort Lauderdale/Jupiter/Treasure Coast Boca Raton Campus Danie Beach Campus Davie Campus Fort Lauderdale Campus Harbor Branch Campus Jupiter Campus Treasure Campus
Boca Raton Campus Danie Beach Campus Davie Campus Fort Lauderdale Campus Harbor Branch Campus Jupiter Campus Treasure Campus
 Last Modified 5/13/11