Animal Updates – February 15

Between our Baltimore and Washington, DC, venues, more than 17,500 animals representing 900 species call the National Aquarium home. There are constant changes, additions, and more going on behind the scenes that our guests may not notice during their visit. We want to share these fun updates with our community so we’re bringing them to you in our weekly Animal Update posts!

Check our blog every Friday to find out what’s going on… here’s what’s new this week!

New Finches in our Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes

We have new star and black-crowned finches on exhibit! Both species are native to Australia and prefer to make their homes in the dry grassland and savanna areas of the continent.

Star finches are easily recognized by their bright red “face masks.” Males typically have larger masks than females.

The next time you’re walking through our Australia exhibit, be sure to listen closely to the sounds coming from above! Male star finches in particular have a very interesting song (click here to hear an example)!

Brittle Star in our Gulf of Farallones National Marine Sanctuary gallery! 

We have a new brittle star on exhibit!

Brittle stars are also known as serpent stars!

There are more than 1,500 species of brittle stars. They can be found in most parts of the world, from the Arctic waters to the tropics. Instead of crawling on hundreds of tube feet like starfish, brittle stars move by wriggling their long, serpent-like limbs!

Be sure to check back every Friday to find out what’s happening!

Animal Update – February 8

Between our Baltimore and Washington, DC, venues, more than 17,500 animals representing 900 species call the National Aquarium home. There are constant changes, additions, and more going on behind the scenes that our guests may not notice during their visit. We want to share these fun updates with our community so we’re bringing them to you in our weekly Animal Update posts!

Check our blog every Friday to find out what’s going on… here’s what’s new this week!

Baby Giant Pacific Octopus!

We have a new giant Pacific octopus on exhibit! Currently the size of a softball, this species can grow to weigh up to 90 lbs! In fact, they are the largest species of octopus in the world.

Found in the coastal regions of the North Pacific, the giant Pacific octopus is highly intelligent and adaptable, making them a hard catch for predators.

These masters of camouflage can quickly change the color and texture of their skin to match the background. By rapidly drawing water into the mantle and expelling it through the tube-like siphon, they can jet themselves backward, away from danger.

Once this juvenile matures a bit, our staff will begin regular enrichment exercises to encourage cognitive thinking.

Aquarist Morgan Denney facilitating an enrichment with our giant Pacific octopus in Baltimore!

One exercise involves giving the octopus a container with food inside. The octopus opens the container quickly, using more than 1,800 suction cups that help it locate and taste the item inside.

Be sure to check back every Friday to find out what’s happening!

Animal Update – January 25

Between our Baltimore and Washington, DC, venues, more than 17,500 animals representing 900 species call the National Aquarium home. There are constant changes, additions, and more going on behind the scenes that our guests may not notice during their visit. We want to share these fun updates with our community so we’re bringing them to you in our weekly Animal Update posts!

Check our blog every Friday to find out what’s going on… here’s what’s new this week!

Habitat Adjustment for Lobsters, Toby and Larry!

Last year, our Washington, DC venue welcomed two rare, brightly-colored lobsters into their collection. Toby, a blue lobster found off the Maryland coast, resides in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuaries exhibit.

Like most of his species, Toby likes to spend his time nestled under rock formations. In the wild, this behavior helps protect the lobster from possible predators.

This week, staff dove in this exhibit to create similar “habitat spots” for our second lobster, Larry, a bright orange lobster donated to the Aquarium by a local market. Lobsters can be quite territorial, so to prevent any aggression between our two, we’ve provided them each their own space within the habitat! Visitors will be able to see Larry on exhibit in the next few weeks!

Be sure to check back every Friday to find out what’s happening!

Animal Update – January 18

Between our Baltimore and Washington, DC, venues, more than 17,500 animals representing 900 species call the National Aquarium home. There are constant changes, additions, and more going on behind the scenes that our guests may not notice during their visit. We want to share these fun updates with our community so we’re bringing them to you in our weekly Animal Update posts!

Check our blog every Friday to find out what’s going on… here’s what’s new this week!

Flame Shrimp

A flame shrimp was added to our Surviving Through Adaptation exhibit. This species of “cleaner shrimp” is commonly found throughout Indo-Pacific reefs, where they make their homes in small caves of coral.

Cleaner shrimp are omnivorous, feeding mostly on the parasites they clean off their reef neighbors. Oftentimes, these shrimp will congregate in “cleaning stations,” where fish, sea turtles and other reef dwellers will come to have parasites removed!

This is an example of a symbiotic relationship: the shrimp clean the animal of uncomfortable parasites and in return gets the food it needs to survive!

Check back next week to see what’s new! 

Animal Update – January 11

Between our Baltimore and Washington, DC, venues, more than 17,500 animals representing 900 species call the National Aquarium home. There are constant changes, additions, and more going on behind the scenes that our guests may not notice during their visits. We want to share these fun updates with our community so we’re bringing them to you in our weekly Animal Update posts!

Check our blog every Friday to find out what’s going on… here’s what’s new this week!

Our freshwater exhibit welcomed some new additions this week!

Brown bullhead catfish

Also referred to as a “mud cat,” this species thrives in lakes and ponds with muddy conditions.

The bullhead catfish is an opportunistic bottom feeder. Their diet consists mostly of insects, leeches, snails, fish, and clams.

Previously only found in the United States, the bullhead catfish has become a global invasive species (they are especially harmful to freshwater ecosystems in Europe, Chile and parts of New Zealand).

Greenside darter

A greenside darter was added to our Northern Streams gallery. The greenside is the largest of the darter genus, reaching a standard length of approximately five inches.

 This species is commonly found in large creeks and medium-sized rivers across North America. They can even be spotted swimming along the Potomac River!

Be sure to check back every Friday to find out what’s happening!