Blacktip Reef Update: Habitat Creation

We cannot wait for our new exhibit, Blacktip Reef, to open in summer of 2013! This coral-filled exhibit, replicating an Indo-Pacific ocean habitat, will feature 15 exciting species including blacktip reef sharks, reticulated whiptail rays and ornate wobbegong sharks. It will also be the new home for some of our most beloved animals, including our 400-pound green sea turtle Calypso and zebra sharks Zeke and Zoe. Guests will be able to experience this lively reef from many vantage points, including a new floor-to-ceiling pop-out viewing window that allows you to virtually step inside the exhibit.

It’s a long journey to opening day. Between animal transports, exhibit demolition, new construction and habitat fabrication, there are a lot of updates as we get closer to this summer. As we continue to build the future home of Blacktip Reef, get the latest on what’s new right here on our WATERblog!

While our construction crew is busy renovating the 200,000-gallon exhibit space for Blacktip Reef, designers and contractors are hard at work creating exact replicas of corals found in the Indo-Pacific. Their primary goal is to ensure that everything from habitat fabrication to assembly and installation is held to the highest standard of authenticity. Watch this video to see the team in action:

The process of designing and building an expansive reef habitat for our animals is both a science and an art! Exhibitors spent months researching the species of coral found in Indo-Pacific reefs, then creating molds and hand-sculpting each piece of rock coral. Our team has to create corals that look real and are also completely safe for our animals.

Why not use real corals for our new exhibit?

Live corals require constant and intense amounts of light and take years to grow. Artificial corals are easier to maintain and repair over the years. Additionally, by crafting each piece of coral that will go into our new exhibit, designers have complete control over the look and shape of Blacktip Reef.

The end product will be a colorful and rich marine habitat perfect for both our animals and our guests to explore and enjoy!

Stay tuned for more Blacktip Reef updates! 

Thoughtful Thursdays: World Water Day

Held annually on March 22, the United Nation’s World Water Day brings attention to the importance of freshwater and advocates for the sustainable management of freshwater. Globally, freshwater accessibility is critical for the survival of all living things, yet it is a significantly threatened resource.

Yes, the world is 70 percent water, a staggering amount. Of that water, however, 97.5 percent is salt water and just 2.5 percent is freshwater. The UN and like-minded institutions hope that World Water Day will help people recognize the importance of freshwater and the need to conserve this precious resource.

Like all living things, aquatic animals require plenty of water to survive. So, how does the Aquarium keep our animals happy and healthy and still manage to conserve freshwater?

If you’ve visited the Aquarium in recent years, chances are you’ve strolled through Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Waterfront Park (the greenery in front of our Pier). Did you know that underneath the plant life is a system of cisterns? A cistern is a waterproof receptacle for holding liquids. In 2012, we were able to collect an estimated 200,000 gallons of rain water that was then used to water the park. As a result, not a single drop of domestic water was used!

National Aquarium staff have also worked tirelessly to design and implement the most efficient filtration systems throughout many of our exhibits. These upgrades saved more than 430,000 gallons of water last year! Additionally, our new Blacktip Reef exhibit will have a state-of-the-art filtration system installed to further reduce our need for water, while still providing a healthy and thriving environment for our animals!

Want to do your part to conserve freshwater? Here are some easy ways to get started:

• Knowing where your water comes from is the first step in better protecting it! The Nature Conservancy has a great interactive map that can help you find your local water source!
• When washing dishes by hand, don’t let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water.
• Put food coloring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak. Fixing it can save up to 1,000 gallons a month.
• Shorten your shower by a minute or two and you’ll save up to 150 gallons per month.
• Water your lawn and garden in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler to minimize evaporation. Better yet, plant native plants in your yard. They require less water, fertilizer and time!

Do you have tips on how to conserve freshwater? Let us know in the comments section!

Animal Updates – March 1

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!

Batfish surgery

An orbiculate batfish currently being cared for at our Animal Care Center (ACC) is recovering nicely after being surgecially treated for a lump on his side.

The batfish is one of the many animals we have currently undergoing quarantine before being placed in our Blacktip Reef exhibit! As soon as staff noticed the small mass, they began doing a variety of diagnostic tests, including aspirations , cultures and ultrasounds to try and determine the cause.

Once the mass began to grow, the decision was made by animal health staff to remove it surgically.

We’re happy to report that the fish did well throughout surgery and a 1.5 x 1.5 cm lump was identified and removed. The cyst was sent to our partners at John’s Hopkins to further investigate the cause. The batfish is being treated with pain medication and antibiotics and is has “recovered swimmingly!” After being housed alone for immediate recovery, he is now back with other fish and his scar is barely noticeable!

As you can imagine, surgery on such a fragile and small animal takes patience and precision! We’re lucky to have such a dedicated and talented team to provide the best care for our animals!

We’ll be sure to keep you updated on the condition of our batfish and be sure to tune in next week for another update! 

Blacktip Reef Update: Acrylic Installation

We cannot wait for our new exhibit, Blacktip Reef, to open in summer of 2013! This coral-filled exhibit, replicating an Indo-Pacific ocean habitat, will feature 15 exciting species including blacktip reef sharks, reticulated whiptail rays, and ornate wobbegong sharks. It will also be the new home for some of our most beloved animals, including our 400-pound green sea turtle Calypso, and zebra sharks Zeke and Zoe. Guests will be able to experience this lively reef from many vantage points, including a new floor-to-ceiling pop-out viewing window that allows you to virtually step inside the exhibit.

It’s a long journey to opening day. Between animal transports, exhibit demolition, new construction, and habitat fabrication, as well as the acquisition of new animals, we’ll have a lot to update you on leading up to next summer. As we continue to build the future home of Blacktip Reef, stay tuned to learn about new changes here on our WATERblog!

Our construction team has been very busy over the last few months building our new Blacktip Reef exhibit!

To give visitors a 160 degree panoramic view of our new Indo-Pacific reef and its inhabitants, the Aquarium had to install a 28 foot acrylic window in one piece. Installing a window of this size proved to be quite a challenge. Our biggest hurdle? Getting the large piece into the building!

Watch this video to see the acrylic piece be lifted into the building and installed into the exhibit:

To fit this large piece into the exhibit, the construction crew had to remove a large exterior window and use crane to lift it two stories.

After being pulled into the building, the acrylic then had to be lowered down one story to be properly installed into the exhibit space.

Before Installation

After Installation

This new floor-to-ceiling look out area will give visitors the opportunity to step into the reef, experience the vibrant coral and get close to the diverse array of animals!

An artistic rendering of the floor-to-ceiling pop-out window.

Stay tuned for more Blacktip Reef updates! 

Amazing Experiences Sweepstakes – Congratulations to Our First Winner!

After weeks of excitement and thousands of entries, we’re thrilled to announce the winners of our Amazing Experiences Sweepstakes!

Starting today, we’ll be announcing the winners for each of our amazing prizes right here on our WATERblog, on our Facebook page and through our email, Aquamail.

Today’s winner is Fatimah A. from Sparks, Maryland! CONGRATULATIONS Fatimah! You have won our exclusive Blacktip Reef prize and you and three guests will be among the first to see our upcoming exhibit! You will go on a “hard-hat tour” behind the scenes of the construction of Blacktip Reef, and be among the first to meet our newest animal additions! This amazing experience includes a tour of the Aquarium’s off-site Animal Care Center, including a look at how the Aquarium’s salt water is made and tested and a visit to the exhibit fabrication shop, where coral for Blacktip Reef is currently being made.

Artist’s rendering of the new Blacktip Reef exhibit, under construction now!

Congratulations again, Fatimah, we’re incredibly thankful for your support!

Didn’t win today? No worries! There are still four AMAZING prizes to win…

December 18: Experience the Rain Forest Like Never Before - There is only one rain forest in Maryland, and it is at National Aquarium, Baltimore. One lucky winner will help care for this unique habitat side-by-side with theUpland Tropical Rain Forest staff for a morning. The winner will go behind the scenes and learn what it takes to care for the diverse and extraordinary animals and plant, prepare food and feed the exhibit’s 15 species of birds, learn about and tend to a wide range of tropical plants, including a cacao tree – where chocolate comes from, meet and feed the golden lion tamarin monkeys, and help care for poison dart frogs.

December 19: Name National Aquarium’s Baby Loggerhead Sea Turtle - The baby loggerhead sea turtles that are a part of the National Aquarium, Washington, DC’s loggerhead sea turtle early rehabilitation program are adorable! Through this program, sea turtle hatchlings spend time in aquariums where they can safely grow before being released back to the ocean. The winner of this amazing experience will give the newest turtle, arriving in December 2012, a head start towards success with a name to carry him (or her) into the future! The winner and up to three guests will get to have a private meet and greet with the turtle, and once on display, the turtle tank will feature a sign with the turtle’s name and the winner’s name.

December 20: Go to the Extremes in Australia - On this personal guided tour with the Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes curator, the winner and three guests will get the full behind-the-scenes tour of this incredible exhibit, up close encounters with National Aquarium’s most popular animals, participate in feedings, and see areas of Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes not usually seen by guests.

December 21: Go Behind-the-Scenes with the Dolphins - To get any closer, you would actually have to be an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin! The lucky winner of this amazing experience will go on a private meet and greet with the Aquarium’s dolphins, tour the dolphin area, see how National Aquarium staff prepare their food, check out the dolphin’s extensive toy collection, and learn behind the scenes secrets from the trainers. The winner will get to work with the trainer during a training session, learn how to communicate with the dolphins, and participate in enrichment and play activities!

Still haven’t entered for your chance to win? Well, not to worry. We will still be accepting entries until midnight on December 20th.

ENTER NOW!

How To Enter:
Five Great Ways to be Automatically Entered to Win:

• Purchase any full price ticket for a December visit
• Make a donation of at least $25
• Purchase or renew their membership
• Adopt an animal through Aquadopt
• Buy a gift ticket 

Stay tuned this week to see if YOU are selected as one of our lucky winners!!!