Virginia Aquarium’s Conservation Mission
Mark and his colleagues founded the Aquarium’s marine mammal and sea turtle Stranding Response Program in the late 1980s. Since that time, the Stranding Team has touched the lives of more than 10,000 animals. In 2003, Mark was appointed the first Director of the Aquarium’s new Research & Conservation Division. He has been fortunate to work with research projects involving bottlenose dolphins, humpback whales, loggerhead sea turtles, and other marine mammal and sea turtle species. Mark serves as a member of many state and national research and management teams working for the conservation of marine mammals, sea turtles and their natural ocean habitats.
“I am a strong believer in the Aquarium’s core conservation mission of education, research and sustainable practices and am most proud of our significant contributions in these areas.”
Mark Swingle, Chief of Research & Conservation, Virginia Aquarium