Kristin Hollomon-Noe

Beginning with a tadpole hunt, kids “zooming” into the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher this week were treated to a variety of tailed animals from bullfrogs to alligators, otters, stingrays, snakes, and horseshoe crabs in their habitats. Kristin Holloman-Noe, outreach coordinator at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher, entertained and educated young readers (and adult observers) with a lively walk about the aquarium.

Kristin told “A Tale of Ocean Tails” via the Zoom program, providing lots of fun facts like the stingray shuffle, snake identification, and ways we humans can protect animals. She kept interest high as viewers virtually “travelled” brick walkways between exhibits. We learned how animals use their tails—for motoring (alligators), for balance (otters), to roll over (horseshoe crabs) and to hold on or hang upside down (seahorses).

Some fish like the butterfly fish and North Carolina’s state saltwater fish the red drum have a “false eye” on their tails for protection from predators. Always-popular sharks provided the finale to the tale as we watched these magnificent animals use their tails for swimming.

Thanks to Aquarium Ambassador Kristin for her fun, fact-filled presentation! FOLSOI is sponsoring this year’s Summer Reading Program, with partial funding from a BEMC grant.