Frequent visitors to the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center in Virginia Beach may soon notice a few fresh faces.
Officials announced Tuesday that there are three new animals on display, each of which introduces a new species to the center: an opossum, a striped skunk and a spectacled owl.
The three will become “animal ambassadors” at the aquarium, sometimes participating in pop-up programs on the gallery floor, educational programs and daily presentations.
Here’s some more information about the new critters, furry and feathered.
Willow
The aquarium once featured Virginia opossums, but hasn’t for many years. Enter Willow.
The 1-year-old female was found abandoned as a baby and taken in for rehabilitation in Washington, D.C. Rehabbers determined her too vulnerable to be released in the wild.
The species, also known as the North American opossum, is the continent’s only marsupial, which is a mammal carried in its mother’s pouch after birth.
Since arriving at the aquarium in November, Willow has favored sweet potatoes and bell peppers, according to her caretakers.
Maple
Maple, a female striped skunk, was born at the Nashville Zoo in May and came to Virginia Beach in December.
The species is native to North America and recognizable for its signature V-shaped white stripe and for emitting a strong and pungent odor when upset.
Maple has “proven to be very smart,” the Virginia Aquarium said in a news release. She often solves puzzle feeders in just a few minutes to get to the food inside. She also loves eating insects.
Mahogany
Mahogany is the sole bird of the bunch. He was hatched at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans about a year ago.
Mahogany likes to shred newspaper and paper bags, and “is very curious about his surroundings,” the aquarium said.
Spectacled owls have a large range, found throughout Central and South America and southern Mexico.
The owls are part of a “species survival plan” in which accredited zoos and aquariums work to maintain sustainable populations of the species outside their natural habitat.
