Nature Speaker Series | Patrick O’Donnell dives into his 20 years of shark research in Southwest Florida at the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium
Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium (CNCP) will feature its December Nature Speaker Series event, “Sharks of Southwest Florida” on Wednesday, Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. Guest speaker will be Patrick O’Donnell, Fisheries Biologist for Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.
O’Donnell will present a look into the lives of sharks in Southwest Florida and his 20-plus years of research, including his work on how the massive Picayune Strand Restoration Project affects the shark population.
O’Donnell joined the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in 1998 as an Environmental Specialist with expertise in fisheries research. In his position, he heads up two fisheries assessment programs in the Ten Thousand Islands collecting data on fish and juvenile shark nurseries in estuaries downstream of a freshwater restoration project in the southwestern Everglades.
“Sharks are often feared by people, but as apex predators of our coastal waters, they are key to a healthy ecosystem. Patrick’s research is well-known, and we look forward to hearing about his latest findings,” said David Hayes, general manager of CNCP.
The talk will be held at the CNCP Planetarium. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the talk starts at 7. Tickets are $15 for non-members and free for CNCP members and can be reserved online at calusanature.org/naturespeakerseries.
Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium is at 3450 Ortiz Ave. in Fort Myers. For more information, visit calusanature.org or call 239-275-3435.
About Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium
Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium is 105-acre nature preservation and educational site in Fort Myers, Florida. The Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium was founded in 1970 and strives to provide a holistic environmental education program encompassing all areas from astronomy to ecology. The organization is home to many rescue animals, butterfly, and bird aviaries, two nature trails, and southwest Florida’s only planetarium theater.
Source: Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium