By Melanie LeCroy / melanie@gulfcoastmedia.com
The Gulf State Park Pier was busy with Shark Week fans last week. The popular annual event returned after the cancellation of the event in 2020 due to COVID-19.
Researchers from the Mississippi State University Marine Fisheries Ecology taught visitors young and old how to identify sharks and rays in the Gulf of Mexico using preserved specimens and artifacts from their scientific collections. The researchers also performed shark and ray dissections.
Alabama Marine Resources provided a touch tank with wild caught rays for visitors to touch or learn more about. Gulf State Park staff were on hand with crafts, activities and tattoos. The $3 addition covered the Shark Week activities and entry to the pier where a scavenger hunt was set up. Visitors explored the entire length of the pier finding shark facts and watching anglers land fish.
Gulf State Park hosts educational events throughout the years. For more information on Gulf State Park or upcoming events, visit alapark.com/parks/gulf-state-park.