CLEARWATER, Fla. — Clearwater Marine Aquarium went through a multimillion dollar expansion in 2020, updating the facility and moving to rescue and rehabilitate even more sea life.

They also welcomed some new and old experiences back to the general public, including one extremely hands-on project that allows guests to see just how their marine biologists work with one of their most prominent and popular residents — sea turtles. 

Washing and prepping a host of different fruits and vegetables in the kitchen at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium is a pretty routine task for marine biologist Emma Jones. However, Jones isn't just any marine biologist, she specifically works with sea turtles. 

“To be able to live out our mission here at the aquarium is really something special,” Jones said. “It's also cool to be able to relate our guests to our animals and show people what they can do to help animals that are out in our natural environments." 

Growing up, she always had a love for animals, but it wasn't until she attended the University of Florida, where she studied wildlife ecology and conservation and went on to complete internships with the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Zoo Tampa, and Florida Fish and Wildlife, that she knew her calling was with sea turtles.

So upon graduating, she came back to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium where she works with the sea turtles that call the aquarium home and helps to run one of their initiatives — Farm to Turtle. 

The Farm to Turtle program showcases the aquarium’s sustainable hydroponic farm, where it grows a lot of the food that goes to feeding and enriching its sea turtles. Biologists like Jones showcase how the aquarium staff plant the vegetables, how the watering system works and how the food is harvested and prepared. 

Then visitors get the opportunity to feed and interact with a few of the sea turtles, working alongside a marine biologist. It's an experience that teaches more about sea turtles and explains how members of the public can do their part to promote conservation and help protect the sea turtles in the wild. 

The Farm to Turtle experience is scheduled by appointment, but the rest of the aquarium complex is open to the general public seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays through Wednesdays and until 8 p.m. on Thursdays through Saturdays. 

For more information, check out the Farm to Turtle website.