Learning About Local Life: Local Attractions Offer Educational Opportunities

Mar 09, 2022 10:42AM ● By ANN MARIE O’PHELAN

Southwest Florida offers an abundance of plants, animals, marine life, and birds with unique characteristics and habitats. Nature lovers can learn more about these local inhabitants and those that live beyond by visiting establishments dedicated to helping conserve, preserve, and celebrate life in many forms.

For more than 30 years, the Ostego Bay Foundation has educated visitors to its Marine Science Center about nature’s beauty in Southwest Florida. Its focus is on conservation through education and interactive experiences. “We encourage children to pick items up for an up-close experience,” says volunteer coordinator Dan Eaton. The center contains many unique artifacts, including a mammoth tusk fossil, pirate-era items, and turtle nest hatching simulation. “Guests can enjoy our touch tank, enjoy beach exhibits, and estuarine aquariums,” adds Eaton. The center also conducts guided tours of the working waterfront, focusing on the history of the San Carlos Island shrimping fleet.

Ann Marie O’Phelan is a Southwest Florida resident and a regular contributor to TOTI Media.