Employees and volunteers from UGA’s Marine Education Center and Aquarium and the Shellfish Research Lab presented “Planet Ocean” — an introduction to living marine creatures such as horseshoe crabs, hermit crabs, spider crabs, and whelks — at the 2008 Earth Day Festival in Savannah’s Forsyth Park on April 19.

They talked to excited kids and parents about the animals and answered questions about Marine Extension Service programs and summer camps. Several Tybee Island residents, and even career fisherman, were surprised to learn about the differences between whelks and conchs, and that Georgia has native species of crabs besides the blue crab (Callinectes sapidus). The best question of the day came when a little boy asked if spider crabs like back massages.

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This article was posted on Wednesday, May 7th, 2008 at 7:49 am and is filed under Event, News.