aquarium
zooillogix | August 25, 2008The Georgia Aquarium just unveiled the latest addition to it's bigger-is-better strategy: Nandi the manta ray. Apparently rescued from shark nets off the Coast of South Africa, Nandi spent the last few months living at uShaka Marine World in Durban, South Africa. When it became clear that Nandi was going to outgrow her enclosure and that the Georgia Aquarium could house her (and maybe pay handsomely for her?), the wheels were set in motion. Nandi will be the first manta ray to be exhibited in the United States.
Nandi doing her thing. Photo credit to John Bazemore, AP Photo
Currently 9ft…
bleimanb | August 11, 2008Researchers at the New England Aquarium have stepped into a totally new method of studying Atlantic's threatened population of right whales - collecting and analyzing floating feces to test the population's health!
I didn't know whales ate corn!
Right whales got their name because they were the "right" whale to catch during whaling's hey day, when exterminating an entire species was jolly good form. Despite rigorous efforts to protect them against whaling interests, including Japanese "research" vessels, right whale populations have not increased noticeably in the last 65 years. In…
zooillogix | July 24, 2008After becoming entangled in a fishing net off the coast of Nobeoka, Miyazaki Prefrecture in Japan, a wounded and exhausted young dolphin was taken to Umitamago Aquarium, also known as Oita Marine Palace Aquarium. The dolphin did not have the energy to keep itself afloat and after a couple of days of holding the dolphin to make sure it didn't sink, the aquarium staff were also worn out. This is when aquarium vets got the clever idea of fashioning a dolphin lifejacket shown below.
This is where the story gets less cute. According to this Reuters article, the aquarium intends to keep their…
zooillogix | June 27, 2008A not at all exhaustive collection of cool bizarro aquariums.
Modular fish tank
Toilet tank. Kind of like fish purgatory.
The Fish-Bird Tank-Cage
many more below the fold...
Sink tank
The sophisticated ichthyologist's sitting room
A concept piece by a Japanese architectural firm
More of the above
This robotic fish tank senses which direction the fish is swimming and drives off in that direction. Could prove extremely useful in absolutely no circumstances.
In this Korean tank, the pump and aerator are powered via USB. Additionally, temperature is controlled via software on your…
zooillogix | June 15, 2008The world's largest zoo and aquarium shot glass collection just got one glass bigger. Someone call the Guinness Book! Growing up in Connecticut, The Mystic Aquarium was basically Benny and my Disney World. Special thanks to Eric Heupel of the awesome invertebrate blog, The Other 95%, for the donation.
Also picked up the Brookfield Zoo this weekend, so that brings the tally to 23. The new list is below the fold. I know you are all fascinated...
Adventure Aquarium (formerly Camden Aquarium)
Bronx Zoo
Brookfield Zoo
Cincinnati Zoo
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
Florida Aquarium
Georgia Aquarium…
zooillogix | June 11, 2008
This calf was born yesterday to Qila, who herself was born at the Vancouver Aquarium 12 years ago.
Special thanks to Vancouver Aquarium employee Keey Prior for bringing this to our attention.
zooillogix | June 5, 2008Many people collect baseball cards, stamps, coins, comic books, rocks, fossils or nutcrackers. I believe I have opened up a whole new field of nerd-dom with my zoo and aquarium shot glass collection. Given that it is the only zoo and aquarium shot glass collection I know of, I have also decided it is the world's largest.
In no particular order, I currently have shot glasses from the San Diego Zoo, Newport Aquarium, Cincinnati Zoo, Knoxville Zoo, Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies, Tennessee Aquarium, New York Aquarium, Smithsonian National Zoo, Bronx Zoo, New England Aquarium, Georgia Aquarium…
zooillogix | March 13, 2008
What's different about this than people swimming with Whale Sharks? Fundamentally... probably nothing. However, I think this falls into the lighter shades of gray that the zoo and aquarium world must operate in, and ultimately I'm OK with, for the following reasons:
1. Walrus training is fairly common and does not pose a physical threat to the animal
2. Dolphin and sea lion training is enjoyed by the animals, obviously because their is a slimy fish reward involved, but also because new physical activity breaks up the monotony of life in a fish tank
3. I'm assuming that there is an…
zooillogix | February 12, 2008A novel approach to connecting people and animals while generating new revenue or exploitation and poor judgment from those who should know better?
The Georgia Aquarium announced this morning a new program that allows regular Joe Public to swim with their famed whale sharks, among other critters, in their largest tank. For the low price of $199 a swim or $290 for a SCUBA dive (actually quite a deal compared with traveling to the Philippines or one of the other exotic locales where you might get a chance to dive with them), you get a guaranteed swim with these biggest of all fishes. It looks…
zooillogix | January 24, 2008...but this one must have been an absolute nightmare. Hope they had lots of sucker fish.
This fabulous fish tank was once a main attraction at the Liquid Potion Lounge, a long defunct coffee bar in Evanston, IL (my sort of current hometown). As the pictures attest, the fish did actually use the bridges/tunnels (I wonder which is the more appropriate word here) between the various tanks, but how much so is unclear. Benny and I have long wondered why aquarium manufacturers never tried to develop more interesting tanks and start a craze like Habitrail did with its iconic yellow gerbil tubing.…
zooillogix | July 23, 2007The Japanese public watched in fascination last month as the first manta ray birth in captivity was broadcast nationwide from the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium. Adult manta rays are large with ,Aeuwingspans,Aeu up to 25,Aeo across. However, baby manta rays are hardly guppies, emerging from their mother after a 374 day gestation period with a 6,Aeo wingspan. Wrapped like a burrito, the baby manta pops out and instinctively begins to beat its fins.
Live manta birth from Japanese television
Unlike other rays whose mouths are on the underside of their bodies, manta ray's mouths are forward facing.…