By Owen Klessel / Full360 Multimedia Producer

Earlier this semester, ‘Animal Boy’ set out to search for “hidden gems” at Baltimore’s National Aquarium during a Delaware Valley University Student Life trip. 

The event is among many adventures hosted by Student Life throughout the year. On this trip, students pay a $5 refundable ticket to reserve a seat on the trip, and Animal Boy was on board to document the journey.

Animal Boy is a character who loves learning about all animals big and small. Unaware of what kind of animal he is, Animal Boy is constantly exploring new species to try and find his very own. Through this endeavor, Animal Boy has noticed most species go overlooked in favor of popular ones. This is especially true at zoos and aquariums, where guests rush to see the flagship animals and pass over seemingly unimpressive animals. However, each and every one of these animals offer an endless supply of fascination; they are “hidden gems.” Animal Boy set out to highlight a few of these animals at the National Aquarium, such as: 

• Irwin’s Turtle: Discovered by world-renowned naturalist Steve Irwin, the National Aquarium is the only aquarium outside of Australia that houses this rare species. 
• Archerfish: Living up to its name, they can fire a jet of water up to five feet in the air. This is used to knock bugs off hanging branches, giving the archer fishes a nice snack. 
• Sawfish: These behemoth members of the ray family have a unique snout, referred to as a rostrum, which is draped in saw-like teeth. They use this snout to slice up fish and pin down prey. 

If students are interested, these kinds of trips happen every semester. You can check the offered trips in the Student Center, on the billboards around campus, or through this and a link to a website for student life here.

Animal Boy will be back for more adventures soon.