Watermarks

Spring 2026

Welcome to Watermarks

In the latest issue of Watermarks, our digital magazine for National Aquarium members, we're taking a look at animal moms in time for Mother's Day and brushing up on the differences between sea otters and river otters. We're also showing you how we clean around a crocodile and highlighting the collaboration that went into getting Kai the green sea turtle Blacktip Reef-ready. Finally, check out the incredible impact the Read to Reef book club has had on Baltimore children in its first 10 years—thanks in part to the support of our amazing member community!

Taking Care of Baby Business

In honor of Mother's Day, we're looking at all the different ways female animals represented at the Aquarium care for their young. Learn about the parenting techniques of Johnston's crocodiles, yabbies, blacktip reef sharks, Australian whiprays, blue-headed pionus and poison dart frogs.

Animal Parenting Styles

Blacktip Reef Gets a New Green

Calypso the green sea turtle was the very first animal to enter Blacktip Reef when it opened in 2013, and she was beloved until she passed away in 2020. Since then, Blacktip Reef has been turtle-less—until now! Kai is a green sea turtle rescued in 2018. In this video, Dr. Aimee Berliner, the Aquarium's director of Animal Health, describes how multiple teams collaborated to prepare Kai for this next step in her life at the Aquarium.

Read to Reef Is Double Digits!

Over the past 10 years, more than 25,000 children have joined the Read to Reef book club—enough to fill CFG Bank Arena, twice! Read to Reef is a longstanding partnership between two beloved Baltimore nonprofits: the National Aquarium and Enoch Pratt Free Library. Through Read to Reef, children can discover a love of reading while building a deeper connection to the natural world—and your support as an Aquarium member helps make it possible.

Your Membership Matters The Impact of Member Support

As a nonprofit, the National Aquarium is deeply grateful for the support provided by our member community. Our newly released Impact Report highlights just some of what you made possible last year. Thank you for being an Aquarium member!

Cleaning ... With Crocs

It's important to keep National Aquarium habitats sparkling clean and in tip-top shape, not only for the health and safety of Aquarium animals, but also so our members and guests can have the most enjoyable experience possible every time they visit. So, our Animal Care team washes and scrubs and sanitizes—a lot. But some exhibits present more challenges, and toothier inhabitants, than others.

Mistaken Identities: Otter Edition

With all the otter activity on Harbor Wetland, we turned our attention to otters for the newest installment of our Mistaken Identities series. Only two otter species—sea otters and North American river otters—have populations in the United States. While they share some common characteristics, there are a lot of differences that set the two apart.

Remembering Jack Cover

The National Aquarium's longtime General Curator Jack Cover passed away in January 2026 after a brief illness. We will be forever grateful for everything he did to shape the Aquarium and its exhibits. In 2024, we published a story looking back at Jack's 37-year career at the Aquarium.

"What a life I've had. It's been incredibly gratifying, and I'm so appreciative of the Aquarium for letting me have a career and pursue this nature nerd lifestyle." - Jack Cover

Animal Updates A Rodeo, New Faces and Brave Journeys

From a rodeo for amphibians to a warm welcome for new animals, it's been an exciting season at the Aquarium.

Veterinarian Looking Though a Slit Lamp at a Smooth-Sided Toad's Eyes
Group of Black-Banded Sunfish Gathering Around Artificial Underwater Grasses
Close-Up of a Rescued Grey Seal Laying in a Red Kiddie Pool
Small Blue-Green Chromis Swimming Against a Dark Background

More From Watermarks

Multimedia Nature as Inspiration, a Mural for Education

Animals Getting on in Years: Caring for Older Animals

Multimedia Jellyfish Confidential

Support the National Aquarium Together, we can change the way humanity cares for our ocean planet.