As we near peak Atlantic Hurricane season, one Florida public aquarium is only just starting to recover from the last one. The Baily-Matthews National Shell Museum in Sanibel Island, Florida, was devastated by Category 5 Hurricane Ian last September, which tore through the building destroying nearly everything on the ground floor, and flooding to a depth of over five feet.
Executive Director Sam Ankerson told Florida Weekly that about 80% of the museum’s marine life died in the storm. He and two staffers weren’t able to reach the museum until Oct. 2, 2022, four days after Ian hit. “We saved as much as we could,” he said. “We were hopeful it would be much better than it was, but the generator had knocked out. We did save a lot of local mollusks and released them in local waters.”
Remarkably, one species that did survive was the Flamboyant cuttlefish, Metasepia pfefferi, known for its small size, dazzling displays, and antics, yet its delicate nature and vulnerability at the same time. The Flamboyant’s display tank survived the flood water purge, ironically because debris clogged the return pump, stopping it from being pumped into the tank. Many other creatures were not so lucky.
One year on and the Museum is nearly ready to reopen, along with 350 animals including Pacific octopus, giant clams, seahorses, and the direct offspring of the surviving cuttles. The event is engrained in its history now, but it has strengthened its resolve to continue to educate about the biology of live shells and other mollusks. Fingers crossed they never have to suffer such an ordeal again.
