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NEW CKPOTTERY 2019
LOGO UFGET IN TOUCH WITH SCIENCE, HISTORY
AT SEAHORSE KEY OPEN HOUSE
February 17, 2017

FEB 17 UF SK HOUSE photo 1Visitors of all ages will get up close and personal with local history and wildlife at the next Seahorse Key open house, 9 am to 3 pm on February 25.

A pop-up aquarium of ‘touch tanks’ will let families interact with living marine animals and reptiles collected from the Cedar Key area. Past aquariums have included seahorses, puffer fish and terrapin turtles.FEB 17 UF SK photo 2

During free guided tours of the island’s pre-Civil War lighthouse, guests will learn about the island’s place in U.S. history, visit the cemetery and climb up to the top of the lighthouse.

“I will talk about the history of the lighthouse from the time it was built in 1854, as well as the effect of the Civil War on the island and the Cedar Key area. You’ll also hear a story or two about local blockade runners,” said Toni Collins, president of the Levy County Historical Society and one of three volunteers leading the tours.

Decommissioned in 1915, the light station now regularly hosts school groups, scientists and artists through programs supported by the Nature Coast Biological Station, part of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. The island is only open to the general public during open house events.

 

Located three miles off Cedar Key in the Gulf of Mexico, Seahorse Key is part of the Cedar Key National Wildlife Refuge and home to the Seahorse Key Marine Laboratory. The laboratory is managed by UF/IFAS, UF College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Santa Fe College.

Guests can reach the island by water taxis available at the Cedar Key docks or are welcome to use their own boats. To learn more about Seahorse Key, go to the UF/IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station website, or call Mendy Allen at 352-222-8585. Water taxi fees vary by service.

By: Samantha Grenrock, 352-294-3307, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS works to bring science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents. Visit the UF/IFAS web site at ifas.ufl.edu and follow us on social media at @UF_IFAS.

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