Page 63 - South Mississippi Living - May, 2016

INSTITUTEFORMARINE story by Lynn Lofton
MAMMAWLSTUDIES
ABOVE: SKIPPER is showing off the horseshoe crab to visitors. BELOW: DOLPHIN interaction with a retired Navy dolphin, Bo.
photos by Teddy Lewis
ho doesn’t love dolphins, sea lions, colorful birds, and digging in sand for sharks teeth? There’s all that and more — for kids of all ages — at the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies in Gulfport. Their motto is Discover Us! and their mission is to make learning fun. The IMMS offers tours, experiences with animals,
field trips and summer camps. There is also an important research and rescue component.
“We want to immerse visitors in fun to make them better stewards of the environment,” said Moby Solangi, Ph.D, executive director of IMMS. “We bring nature to the people; things you can’t easily see. Here, you can feel, see and touch it.”
Tours begin in the visitors center where displays include games, photos, a big sandbox with sharks teeth and exhibits. “The Gulf of Mexico is an international treasure,” Solangi said. “We show the connectivity and why the actions in the rest of the United States affect the Gulf.”
Entertaining presentations are given in a 200-seat auditorium before visitors enjoy the Discovery Room where there are tanks of fresh, brackish and salt water. A lot of touching and feeling happens in this room.
Then visitors head outside to see the dolphins and sea lions and maybe get up close and personal with them. Activities that you can add to
your tour include petting, kissing, or interacting with a dolphin in the water. These programs allow children and adults to truly experience the amazement of these beautiful animals during a training session. And now, guests can get a kiss from a sea lion.
Youngsters can also doze with the dolphins by spending Saturday nights at IMMS. Reservations for this and other programs, including summer camps, birthday parties and kayaking trips, must be made.
Blending conservation, research and learning with hands-on fun for visitors
of all ages. Enjoy the Gulf Coast’s premier destination for affordable, family- friendly animal adventure.
Call today to schedule your personalized guided tour.
Encounter
Explore
CENTER FOR MARINE EDUCATION AND RESEARCH
Experience
FOR MORE REFLECTIONS OF THE GULF COAST >> www.smliving.net May 2016 • SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living 63
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