Living Coast Discovery Center facts for kids
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| Established | 1987 as the Chula Vista Nature Center |
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| Location | 1000 Gunpowder Point Drive Chula Vista, California |
| Type | Nature center, aquarium and zoo |
The Living Coast Discovery Center is a super cool place in Chula Vista, California! It's like a special school and zoo all in one. Here, you can learn about amazing animals and plants that live in Southern California and San Diego Bay. It's located right inside the Sweetwater Marsh Unit of the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge.
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Explore the Living Coast!
The Living Coast Discovery Center has many exciting areas to explore. You can see different animals and learn about their homes.
Amazing Animal Exhibits
Get ready to meet some incredible creatures!
- Turtle Lagoon: This is home to green sea turtles. Watch them swim gracefully in their watery home.
- Discovery Center Galleria: In this area, you'll find all sorts of sea life. Look for seahorses, jellyfish, eels, and even octopus. You can also spot colorful garibaldi damselfish and cool sea stars.
- Shark & Ray Experience: This is a favorite spot! You can see different kinds of sharks like leopard sharks and horn sharks.
- Sting Ray Touch Pool: Get ready to gently touch bat rays and round rays. It's a unique way to connect with these amazing creatures. You might also see shovelnose guitarfish here.
Birds of Prey and Shorebirds
The center is also home to many fascinating birds.
- Burrowing Owl Courtyard: Meet the tiny but mighty burrowing owls. They live in burrows underground.
- Shorebird Aviary: This big bird home has many different shorebirds. You can see light-footed Ridgway's rails and black-crowned night herons.
- Raptor Row: This area is for birds of prey, also known as raptors. These are powerful hunting birds. You can see red-tailed hawks, peregrine falcons, and different kinds of owls.
- Eagle Mesa: Here, you can admire majestic golden eagles and bald eagles. They are truly impressive birds!
Native Plant Gardens
Beyond the animals, the center also has beautiful gardens. These gardens show off plants that naturally grow in the area. There's even a special garden that teaches about composting.
Explore the Outdoors
The Living Coast Discovery Center is connected to nature trails. You can walk 1.5 miles of trails from the center. These trails lead you through the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge all the way to the shore of San Diego Bay. It's a great way to see the local environment up close.
The center also welcomes over 15,000 school children each year. They come for special field trips. These trips teach kids about science and the environment.
Our Story
The Living Coast Discovery Center first opened its doors in 1987. Back then, it was called the Chula Vista Nature Center. The City of Chula Vista owned and ran it.
In 2010, the center became its own independent organization. It changed its name to the Living Coast Discovery Center. It became a "501(c)(3) non-profit." This means it's a special kind of organization that uses all its money to help its cause, not to make a profit for owners.
Our Mission
The Living Coast Discovery Center wants to inspire everyone to connect with and care for our coastal environment. Their main goal is to have a healthy natural coast. They want to achieve this by:
- Working with others to help restore coastal wetlands and bays.
- Providing great education for students. They focus on STEAM, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics.
- Helping people learn more about coastal environments. This includes understanding how animals and plants can live with changes in weather. They also teach about how humans can live together with the natural resources of San Diego Bay.
