What is the living thing (plant/animal/insect/etc.) that fascinates you from childhood until today?

Elizabeth Perron

Sharks have always fascinated me from an early age. I am a Navy baby and from age 5 to 8 lived in the Philippines. We used to pick up shark purses on the beach and see sharks in the clear Pacific Ocean or on a fishing hook. Back then and to this day, I am mesmerized by their graceful agility as they swim, especially beautiful is the Thresher shark, with their long flowing tail. There was a shark book with every library check out and included in most of my presents growing up. I learned how diverse their size could be, how most “slept” while moving and how crucial they are to our earth's health. As many of us, including, Peter Benchley, learned more about sharks, the “fierce predator” became the “underdog of the ocean”. If you want to learn more about how amazing these animals are check out @oceanramsey or @juansharks on instagram. I personally fight to protect sharks by sharing kindly with restaurant/grocery store owners that I would love to spend money at their establishment as soon as they stop selling shark fin soup. Wow! I meant for this to be a short post, by typing “Sharks”, but obviously I am still enthralled and have a lot to say on the topic…

Now, I am completely curious to read others answers. (One word or a thousand is great!)

Jennifer Kluh

A beautiful Hummingbird. How small but strong they are. They can fly backwards. I love putting out food for them and watching them for hours. Looking forward to the warmer weather to enjoy them in ?

Bobby Steurer

Sharks are really cool.

For me, it's cardinals (red birds). Every time I see one, it's like an event. I've always stopped to watch them whenever I see one. Not sure why. We had a lot of them in our backyard as a kid, and perhaps it takes me back to that innocent time.

Christina Reynolds

Love what you had to say, @Elizabeth Perron ! Would you ever consider a diving trip so you could meet some sharks?!

I grew up reading Zoobooks (shoutout to anyone who did the same), so I find most animals interesting.

I've loved capybaras ever since I did a high school report on Peru with one of my friends, and I recently found/followed an Instagram dedicated to capybaras (@capyverse). It puts a smile on my face every time!

Barbara Kunkel

I would say for myself - Turtles. It amazes me how turtles can swim deep with heavy shells gracefully and I can't. I was not a fan growing up and my mom would eat “turtle soup”. I was blessed to see turtles swimming in the ocean, which is a sight I never thought I would see. I would love to be one of the beach watchers over the turtles' birthing holes to protect them. Can you imagine having to crawl to the ocean so far away when you are firstborn?

Vicky Lopuchowycz

I've always been a fan of the platypus. They're so cute and fuzzy as babies.

Chris Nungesser

Hey @Barbara Kunkel,

I agree! Turtles are awesome. One fun part of working at the South Carolina Aquarium is Caretta. She is a loggerhead that wouldn't be able to survive in the wild, so she stays with us here at the Aquarium. Anyway. I was walking to a meeting the other day and came across Caretta taking a nap. Thought you might enjoy this photo:

Caretta the loggerhead sea turtle taking a nap

Chris ?

Faith Murray

There are turtles and then there are turtles! Ocean turtles, box tortoises, and Galapagos tortoises are all adorable and gentle and have a soft spot in my heart. When I was a kid, we used to rescue tortoises that were injured crossing the highway and deliver them to the conservation rescues. One tortoise was missing part of its leg, and we affectionately named it “Stumpy”.

But at least here in the Midwest, the turtles used for turtle soup are not the gentle species, but the snappers. While not overtly aggressive, a large snapper can chomp the end off a broom (or your hand) if you get too close, or if you're not careful when swimming in a rural pond. Closest thing we land-locked states have to a shark, I suppose. :-)

Elizabeth Perron

@Faith Murray @Barbara Kunkel @Chris Nungesser Turtles are amazing!!!! Your posts gave me good vibes:) Thank you for the smiles.

I had actually forgotten about platypus and capybaras!!! Thank you @Vicky Lopuchowycz and Christina Reynolds for the reminder…so cute and unusual!

Christina, I have so many trips on my bucket list where sharks are living. My partner and I did get to “dive” (air attached to the boat) off the Farallones Islands. We didn't see any sharks, but we took photos of sharks from a book and pranked our friends.?

Barbara Kunkel

@Chris Nungesser - thank you for sharing Caretta, a beautiful sea turtle. You have made my day more peaceful with her image.

Jennifer Vincent

@Elizabeth Perron I live at the beach and I love looking for sharks teeth. If I sit down with the task in mind, I can usually find one. That said, the animal I fell in love with as a kid that I still love to this day is a horse. I know - I know - girls and their horses, but I love them. The smell and feel of a horse is transporting. I've never owned one, but I love them.

Elizabeth Perron

@Jennifer Vincent finding shark teeth is a gift!! Horses are magnificent. So glad you and all of us have animals that we connect with from our hearts and heads!

Liz Hackett

@Vicky Lopuchowycz they certainly are! I've touched one and their fur is so soft and very very thick, to keep them warm and waterproof. But did you know the males have a venomous spur on their back leg, which they use for fighting with other males during the mating season?!

Patti Hommes

BIRDS! Any and all birds! Up until high school we had a bird or two as pets…canaries, parakeets, cockatiels…and then my father and I became avid birders, traveling to parks, sanctuaries, wildlife refuges, etc. For years I participated in the Audobon Society's Christmas Bird count freezing my arse off in NJ counting birds by species for an entire day. Now, I am obsessed with live bald eagle cams, especially this one…I have it on my external monitor all day! Check out the little bobblehead eaglet (you need patience to wait for Mom or Dad to get up to feed it).

JoAnn Strommen

As a child definitely animals but as I grew older I would say plants especially flowers. Not necessarily one type but the great diversity and beauty God created. I'm amazed when I look at flowers on my shamrock, tulip, mother-in-law's tongue/snake, hoya, iris, lily plants and then poppies, roses, carnations, etc. Really amazing.