TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM ASSOCIATION
2710 NORTH SHORELINE BLVD, CORPUS CHRISTI, TX 784021004 texasstateaquarium.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM'S MISSION IS ENGAGING PEOPLE WITH ANIMALS, INSPIRING APPRECIATION FOR OUR SEAS, AND SUPPORTING WILDLIFE CONSERVATION. ITS VISION IS TO BE A GLOBAL LEADER IN FOSTERING SUPPORT FOR THE CONSERVATION OF THE GULF OF MEXICO AND CARIBBEAN SEA. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS GOAL, THE AQUARIUM HAS DEVELOPED MORE THAN 25 PERMANENT AND SPECIAL EXHIBITS TO INTERPRET THE ANIMALS AND SENSITIVE ECOSYSTEMS OF THE GULF, EDUCATING MORE THAN 500,000 VISITORS ANNUALLY IN THE WONDERS OF THE MARINE WORLD. THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM PROMOTES AND ACTIVELY ENGAGES IN ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION THROUGH A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS, INCLUDING A WILDLIFE REHABILITATION PROGRAM THAT MINISTERS TO THE NEEDS OF HUNDREDS OF SICK AND INJURED SHOREBIRDS, RAPTORS, SEA TURTLES, AND MARINE MAMMALS EACH YEAR.

IT ALL BEGAN IN 1969 WITH THE DREAM OF WHAT CORPUS CHRISTI COULD BE. VISIONARY COMMUNITY LEADERS HAD A BOLD, YET SIMPLE PURPOSE WITH THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM - CREATE EDUCATIONALLY ENRICHING AND ENTERTAINING EXHIBITS AND PROGRAMS TO CONNECT PEOPLE WITH NATURE, AND INSPIRE THEM TO CARE FOR, AND ULTIMATELY HELP CONSERVE, THE GULF OF MEXICO. TODAY, AFTER BEING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS AND HAVING EDUCATED AND ENTERTAINED NEARLY 14 MILLION VISITORS, THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM IS THE LEADING ATTRACTION IN SOUTH TEXAS, AN ECONOMIC DRIVER OF THE COASTAL BEND TOURISM ECONOMY, A REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER REACHING MORE THAN 70,000 STUDENTS EACH YEAR, AND AN AWARD-WINNING CENTER FOR WILDLIFE CARE AND REHABILITATION. AT THE HEART OF THE AQUARIUM'S MISSION IS ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION. IN 2018, MORE THAN 82,000 STUDENTS EXPERIENCED THE AQUARIUM THROUGH OUR OUTREACH AND DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAMS, CAMPS, AND ON-SITE PROGRAMS. WITH THE OPENING OF THE CARIBBEAN JOURNEY EXPANSION IN MAY OF 2017, STUDENTS ARE NOW GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE AND DISCOVER THE VARIOUS SEA LIFE HABITATS OF THE CARIBBEAN SEA IN ADDITION TO THE GULF OF MEXICO. THE 72,000 SQ FT CARIBBEAN JOURNEY ADDITION REPLICATES THE FLORA AND FAUNA OF THE SIAN KA'AN BIOSPHERE PRESERVE, A BIODIVERSE REGION IN MEXICO'S YUCATAN PENINSULA, SO STUDENTS ARE NOW EXPOSED TO A LUSH JUNGLE, SIMULATED MAYAN RUINS, A CENOTE, AND VARIOUS UNDERWATER HABITATS. IMMERSIVE AND ENGAGING PROGRAMS OFFERED THROUGH THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM'S FLINT HILLS RESOURCE CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE IN STEM EDUCATION ALLOWS US TO REACH LOCAL STUDENTS AS WELL AS CONDUCT VIRTUAL PROGRAMS WITH STUDENTS WORLDWIDE. THE AQUARIUM ALSO CONTINUES TO CONDUCT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS FOR HUNDREDS OF TEACHERS EACH YEAR.

THE AQUARIUM HAS ALWAYS AIMED TO EDUCATE GUESTS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSERVING OUR HABITATS AND WILDLIFE - AND WE LEAD BY EXAMPLE. THE AQUARIUM HAS WORKED DILIGENTLY TO ORGANIZE AND CARRY OUT BEACH CLEAN-UP EVENTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE. IN ADDITION TO COORDINATING THESE EFFORTS, TSA STAFF CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT HIGHLIGHT THE EFFECTS GARBAGE HAS ON REGIONAL WILDLIFE. IN 2018, OUR GUESTS ENJOYED A TEMPORARY EXHIBIT ENTITLED "TO THE RESCUE" THAT SHOWCASED OUR WILDLIFE RESCUE PROGRAM. PART OF THIS EXHIBIT WAS A STRIKING COLLECTION OF MARINE DEBRIS THAT OUR WILDLIFE RESCUE TEAM HAD REMOVED FROM THEIR REHAB PATIENTS. AS A MEMBER OF THE AQUARIUM CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP, THE AQUARIUM PRIDES ITSELF IN ITS EFFORTS TO ELIMINATE SINGLE-USE PLASTICS FROM OUR OPERATIONS, INCLUDING OFFERING BOXED WATER, PAPER STRAWS, AND RECYCLED MATERIAL SERVING CONTAINERS TO OUR RESTAURANT PATRONS. OUR PEPSI SHORELINE GRILL WAS THE FIRST RESTAURANT IN TEXAS TO BE RECOGNIZED BY THE SURFRIDER FOUNDATION AS AN OCEAN FRIENDLY RESTAURANT. WE ALSO SUPPORT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN THEIR CONSERVATION EFFORTS. IN 2018, MORE THAN 74,000 IN GRANTS WERE DELIVERED THROUGH OUR WILDLIFE CARE, CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH FUND TO SUPPORT VITAL WILDLIFE RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION PROJECTS, INCLUDING TRACKING GREEN SEA TURTLES, STUDYING DISEASES IN KEMP'S RIDLEY SEA TURTLES, AND TRACKING THE MOVEMENTS OF TAGGED SHARKS. AND, FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE AQUARIUM PARTNERED WITH TEXAS A&M - CORPUS CHRISTI TO OFFER A SUMMER COURSE TO BIOLOGY STUDENTS TO LEARN FIRSTHAND FROM OUR STAFF ABOUT HOW WE CARE FOR OUR COLLECTIONS AND PROMOTE CONSERVATION.

OUR WILDLIFE RESCUE TEAM MINISTERS TO THE NEEDS OF HUNDREDS OF INJURED SHORE AND WATER BIRDS, MARINE TURTLES, AND MARINE MAMMALS EACH YEAR. A HARSH WINTER RESULTED IN MORE THAN 1,100 COLD-STUNNED SEA TURTLES THAT NEEDED TO BE TRANSPORTED TO AND TREATED AT OUR REHAB FACILITY. MORE THAN 90% OF THESE TURTLES MADE A FULL RECOVERY AND WERE RELEASED BACK INTO THEIR NATURAL HABITAT. WE ALSO ADMITTED 256 AVIAN PATIENTS DURING 2018, MANY OF WHOM WERE ABLE TO BE REHABILITATED ENOUGH TO BE RELEASED. SEVERAL OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS COMPLETED THE HAZARDOUS WASTE OPERATIONS AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE (HAZWOPER) TRAINING IN 2018, WHICH NOW ALLOWS THE AQUARIUM TO TREAT WILDLIFE AFFECTED BY ANY OIL SPILLS IN THE REGION. IT IS THROUGH THESE AND MANY MORE PROGRAMS THAT THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM HELPS PRESERVE OUR REGION'S RICH ENVIRONMENTAL HERITAGE AND EMPOWERS MILLIONS OF VISITORS TO TAKE ACTION TO HELP PRESERVE AND PROTECT OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT. AND FINALLY, AS A PRIVATE, NOT-FOR-PROFIT INSTITUTION, THE AQUARIUM HAS A TREMENDOUS ECONOMIC IMPACT (OVER 90 MILLION IN 2018) WITHOUT THE NEED FOR CITY, COUNTY, OR STATE FUNDING SUBSIDIES FOR OPERATIONS.

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