For Release:
October 16, 2003
Contact: Peper
Long 
202-673-0206
National Zoo To Open Chesapeake Bay
Crab Exhibit
The Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park today
(Oct. 16) announced the Oct. 17 opening of its new
Blue Crab and the Bay exhibit. This new exhibit, located
behind the Reptile Discovery Center, is part of the
National Zoo’s Invertebrate Exhibit.
Opening in celebration of World
Water Monitoring Day,
the exhibit was developed in part through a grant
from the Environmental Protection Agency, a partnership
with the Chesapeake Bay Program and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center.
It highlights the biology of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, focusing on
its life cycles and its environment in the Chesapeake Bay.
The exhibit will display live crabs and include video and graphics that demonstrate
the biology of the blue crab and its place in the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem.
The exhibit will open to the public at 10 a.m. and National Zoo Director Lucy
Spelman will address attendees at 10:30 a.m. Other scheduled speakers include
representatives from the EPA and SERC. In addition, families present will participate
in several activities including a short walk to Rock Creek to conduct a water
test for World Water Monitoring Day.
"It is important to learn about the biology and environment of the blue
crab, and to learn ways to protect its vitality and prevent the decay of the
Bay,” said National Zoo Director Lucy Spelman. “This exhibit is an
excellent example of how two Smithsonian organizations -- the National Zoo and
SERC -- can combine efforts with other groups -- the EPA and the Chesapeake Bay
Program -- to
bring
the blue crab’s educational story to the Zoo’s millions of visitors
each year.”
Chesapeake Bay Program Director Rebecca Hanmer adds,
“The National Zoo’s new blue crab exhibit
will teach thousands of visitors about a nationally
known Bay species and will help them learn about how
their everyday actions impact the blue crab and the
entire Chesapeake Bay ecosystem.”
Some Blue Crab Facts
- Roughly translated, the blue crab’s scientific name, Callinectes sapidus, means “beautiful swimmer that tastes good.”
- Blue crabs take advantage of the diversity of habitats found in the Chesapeake Bay. Their life begins as larvae in the open water; juveniles rely on underwater plants for protection from predators; and female crabs migrate to deep, salty water to release their eggs.
- When pollution levels in the Chesapeake Bay increase, blue crab numbers fall. Scientists look to the blue crab as a key vital sign, giving them a window into the overall health of the Chesapeake Bay.
- More than one-third of the nation’s blue crab harvest comes from the Chesapeake, generating some $50 million annually.
- Female crabs produce up to 8 million eggs at a time.
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