Back to the Charleston Aquarium

Here is the little alligator from my last post and apparently no one spotted him there between the second and third pickets of the rice gate.  He's just a baby and it took us a few minutes to find him, too.  

There were a couple of questions about the albino gator in the comments.   Alabaster is eight years old.  There is a group of alligators in a remote swamp in Louisiana that regularly produces albino alligators. An alligator hunter keeps his eye on the nests and when he spots an albino hatchling he has a permit to catch it and provide it to a zoo to be cared for.  Most of the 50 albinos in the US have come from this one place. 

I really do enjoy reading your comments 

and I thank those of you who take the time 

to leave a few words!

Here are a couple more creatures of the deep from the Charleston Aquarium.

Moon Jellies

A favorite snack of sea turtles and certain fish, moon jellies can grow up to a diameter of 12 inches, depending on how much they have eaten.

Depending on what they have eaten, they can turn transparent purple or pink.

Because of the depletion of ocean fish and sea turtles, jellies are increasing in alarming numbers.  

Sea Nettles

The graceful swooshes on the left come from the body in the center of the photo, swirling down and back across the body in slow and graceful movement as it floats. 

These tentacles have stingers on them that are used to paralyze its prey.  The prey gets caught on the tentacles and the jellyfish pulls it into its stomach in the bell.  The bell can grow up to eight inches across.  

These pretty things sting many swimmers over the course of the summer.  

It won't kill you when they do but it sure hurts!