REHOBOTH BEACH – The Indian River Marina, owned and operated by DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation, will host the 5th annual “Kids Catch-All” fishing tournament Friday, June 21 – Sunday, June 23 at the marina. Children and teenagers aged 3-18 are invited to participate in the event, during which every young angler will win a prize.

During the tournament, kids have choices as to how they want to fish: from the beach, at jetties, or by private or charter boat. They can also choose where they want to fish: in the ocean, in inland waterways, or via deep-sea fishing. Adults are allowed to assist youngsters reeling in their catch.

Registration is $25 per child or $150 per boat with up to six participants. The fee includes a free event t-shirt and all-you-can-eat dinners on Saturday and Sunday evenings for kids entered in the tournament. Other family members can pay $10 for the dinners, prepared by local restaurants both nights.

Onsite registration will be open Friday, June 21 and Saturday, June 22 from 6 to 8 p.m. both days. Online registration is available now via www.kidscatchall.com. All children must be registered either online by 8 p.m. Friday or in-person by 8 a.m. Saturday to participate. Online registrants need to visit the tournament booth to pick up a copy of the tournament rules before fishing.

Custom trophies in 15 different categories will be awarded to the winners at the awards banquet held Sunday evening. Each registrant will also receive a special gift from Hook’em and Cook’em Outfitters. Door prizes will be awarded each night during dinner.

Weigh-in is from 3-6:30 p.m. Saturday, and 3-6 p.m. Sunday. The marina’s weighmaster is expected to make the process fun for the whole family. A leader board will be maintained, and pictures of the kids and their catches will be taken by the Coastal Fisherman an Ocean City, Md.-based newspaper.

A portion of the proceeds benefits the Lyme Disease Association of Delmarva, Inc. More information about the fishing tournament or how to become a sponsor is available by calling Lyme Disease Association of Delmarva at 410-749-LYME or 410-726-4573.

More information about the contest is available from the Indian River Marina at 302-227-3071.

Media Contact: Beth Shockley, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

YORKLYN – Governor John Carney and DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin were joined by U.S. Senator Tom Carper, state legislators, New Castle County and local officials, neighbors, and friends, at the dedication and ribbon-cutting of Delaware’s newest and 17th state park, the Auburn Valley State Park in Yorklyn.

Formerly the Auburn Heights Preserve, the park features an 1897 Queen Anne Victorian mansion and the Marshall Steam Museum, home to the largest operating Stanley steam car collection in the world. This four-acre estate was donated by Tom and Ruth Marshall, whose family established and operated the National Vulcanized Fiber (NVF) factory next to the estate. Marshall donated the mansion and steam car museum to the state in 2007. Part of that agreement included establishing an endowment for property upkeep. A historic bridge in the park is now named after the Marshall family.

“The new Auburn Valley State Park will be an economic engine to draw residents and visitors alike to Yorklyn, helping boost the state’s $3.3 billion dollar tourist industry,” said Governor Carney. “We must invest in our state parks to provide Delaware’s residents and visitors with safe and enjoyable recreational opportunities and open spaces, responsible stewardship of the lands and the cultural and natural resources that we have been entrusted to protect and manage, and resource-based interpretive and educational services.”

“Auburn Valley State Park promotes environmental stewardship and ensures that Delawareans will be able to enjoy acres of preserved land for years to come,” said Senator Carper, the top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “This park – and the 16 other parks like it in the First State – are also economic drivers that bolster our tourism sector and encourage people from coast to coast enjoy all that Delaware has to offer – from our unique history to our pristine outdoor spaces. Our efforts to work together to protect and maintain these lands are a win for Delaware.”

“DNREC owns more than 360 acres of this valley with beautiful vistas, established trails, newly-cleaned flowing creeks with aquatic life, additional preserved lands and soon-to-be restored historic buildings, home of the Marshall Steam Museum, and all being served by the historic Wilmington and Western Railroad,” said Secretary Garvin. “Auburn Valley State Park will help transform Yorklyn into a residential, commercial, conservation and recreational area, while also removing a century of contamination. We thank Tom and Ruth Marshall and their family for their generous donation of their estate as well, and this new park will ensure their legacy endures in perpetuity.”

The new park features a total of 366 acres, including portions of the former NVF facility acquired through funding by the Delaware Open Space Program, FEMA, and private donations. The land has undergone site remediation – including toxics removal and flood mitigation – along with the building and completion of new trails. Plans are ongoing for continued redevelopment designed to turn the area into a revitalized, vibrant hub of activity that retains its historic character and provides the kinds of amenities that will help improve the quality of life for residents and visitors alike.

For more information, visit www.destateparks.com/AuburnValley

Media Contact: Beth Shockley, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

DOVER – DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation announced today that repair work will begin on Tower 7, also known as the Observation Tower, at Cape Henlopen State Park. The tower will be closed Monday, Nov. 5 – Monday, Dec. 31.

This is the second phase of planned repair work for the Observation Tower. Construction will include stair repairs and painting.

Media Contact: Beth Shockley, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

DOVER – DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation announced today that repair work will be conducted on the Cape Henlopen fishing pier beginning Oct. 9, to replace a pipe below the pier. The pier will remain open for the duration of the project, expected to take three days, weather permitting.

Meet Sherman – male red panda. Profile: outgoing, curious, loves to sleep in large buckets, very intelligent and fast learner, and will approach keepers to see what kind of food and enrichment they’ve brought him for the day.

WILMINGTON – DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation’s Brandywine Zoo has made a red panda transfer and introduced two new pandas to the public. The zoo sent the panda predecessors to other zoos for breeding purposes, and Brandywine Zoo visitors are encouraged to welcome the newcomers to Delaware.

The zoo’s new residents are Sherman (above), a five-year-old male from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology institute in Virginia, and a four-year-old female, named Mohu (right), from the Blank Park Zoo in Iowa. Former resident sisters, Meridoc and Gansu, who have lived at the zoo since 2014, have been transferred to other accredited zoos, where they have been paired with mates.

Before Sherman and Mohu’s arrival, zookeepers were informed about each animal’s personality, dietary preferences, medical history, training techniques, and favorite enrichment activities. This helps the keepers make the transition as seamless as possible for the animals in their new home.

The transfer of red pandas is mandated by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP), which tracks animal populations in human care in American zoos. The SSP is coordinated by a specialist management group that follows the genetics and demographics of their respective animal populations. Annual meetings are held to examine the health of the population, and make recommendations for transfers and breeding.

The current red panda population in North American zoos includes 150 animals in 58 AZA-accredited facilities. All of the red pandas were captive-born. The median lifespan for red pandas is 10 years with some living to 20 years. Taking this information into consideration, with a desire to maintain the current population size, the management group has recommended 23 births next year. As a result, pandas, like sisters Meridoc and Gansu, are transferred among different zoos for breeding with unrelated pandas to ensure genetic diversity for the population.

In the wild, red pandas can be found in mountainous regions of China, India, Bhutan, and Nepal. They face threats of habitat loss from deforestation caused by commercial logging, demand for firewood, and clearing for agriculture. This has led to reduced food supply for the red pandas and habitat fragmentation that threatens their ability to move about their territories. Another threat is ongoing hunting of red pandas for pelts.

Sherman and Mohu are not a reproductive pair. Sherman has several offspring already, and Mohu is not a breeding female. In the future, the zoo plans to add a new red panda exhibit that would allow for red panda breeding.

In addition to its newest residents, DNREC’s Brandywine Zoo features Andean condors, river otters, pygmy goats, llamas, rheas, and other animals native to the Americas and the temperate areas of Asia.

Accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, the Brandywine Zoo is one of only 200 accredited zoos and aquariums in North America, a distinction that marks its commitment to providing excellent animal welfare. The zoo is managed by the Division of Parks & Recreation with the support of the Delaware Zoological Society.

More information about the Brandywine Zoo is available at destateparks.com or brandywinezoo.org, or by calling 302-571-7747.