2-03-2025 9:41am

Cupid for or against

Joseph Genco Editor

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — Whether you’re head over heels or looking for a creative way to get back at someone, the Aquarium of Niagara has just the right way to express your feelings this February.

This year, the Aquarium is introducing the “Smallest Bug Who Ever Lived” promotion. For $10, participants can name a bug after a scorned lover, bad boss, or pesky frenemy and watch them get fed to one of the Aquarium’s resident reptiles or amphibians. They’ll receive a video of the feast along with a digital “Certificate of Consumption” to mark the occasion. It's the perfect way to express your ill will while supporting a great cause!

For those feeling a bit fonder of the folks in their lives, the Aquarium is bringing back its popular “Lovebirds Symbolic Animal Adoption Package” for the fifth year in a row. Inspired by the Aquarium’s Humboldt penguins, which are known for their lifelong pairings, this package is a heartfelt way to celebrate love. For $75 (including shipping), participants receive:

• Two penguin plush sporting matching wing bands

• Two Certificates of Adoption

• Two Species ID cards

• Two limited edition “Lovebirds” stickers

• A 4”x6” photo of chosen penguin pair

• A heart-shaped penguin painting (made by the Aquarium’s penguins)

• Candy

Not sure which penguin pair to pick? Take the Aquarium’s FREE online quiz, “Which Penguin Pair are You” to find your perfect match.

For those looking to make a smaller gesture, the Aquarium is also offering two limited-edition Valentine’s stickers for just $5 (including shipping). The designs include:

• “I’m Over the Moon for You” featuring moon jellies

• “Love Sucks” featuring a sea lamprey – the vampire of the Great Lakes

Orders must be placed by Friday, February 8, 2025, in order to receive the gift by Valentine’s Day. To learn more and place an order, visit https://aquariumofniagara.org/valentinesday/. All purchases directly support the animals at the Aquarium and drive the organization’s mission to inspire people to make a difference for aquatic life.