October 2022
Shark Discovery
Shark Discovery
Shark Discovery
Shark Discovery
Shark Discovery
Even though the Shark Week observations are over, it is always appropriate to remind everyone of the vital importance sharks play in the ocean ecosystems.
“Sharks play a vital role in top-down maintenance of ocean ecosystems around the world,” said Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Audubon Aquarium of the Americas Rich Toth. “Globally, shark and ray species are threatened with extinction largely due to overfishing and other unsustainable human practices.”
As a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Audubon Aquarium has partnered with fellow member organizations to help the SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction initiative. AZA SAFE provides a new approach for collaborative conservation with a Conservation Action Plan that includes specific projects, goals, and actions to address the needs of each species, including sharks and rays.
Last year, the Aquarium opened Shark Discovery, a 13,000-gallon shark and ray touch pool. The pool measures approximately 60 feet long and 16 feet at its widest point—six times the size of the previous stingray touch pool at the Aquarium. A massive LED screen running the entire length of the pool features a variety of sharks, rays, and fish to highlight the diversity of the ocean.
By fostering a connection to marine life through hands-on interaction with sharks, Audubon hopes to encourage an appreciation for the often misunderstood, but essential, species. The goal of the newest experience is help guests realize that sharks have far more to fear from humans than humans do from them.
Shark and Ray Facts:
• Sharks and rays are usually very wary of people and will swim away long before you see them.
• Sharks and rays do not have true bones, they have cartilage instead.
• Sharks inhabit all the world’s oceans, and some can even be found in freshwater rivers and lakes.
• The greatest threat to sharks is HUMANS. Each year, tens of millions of sharks are killed for their fins.
The habitat is home to a number of shark and ray species, including white spotted bamboo shark, epaulette shark, southern stingray, coral cat shark, bullnose ray, blue-spotted stingray, and cownose stingray. The habitat spans much of the Aquarium’s second floor and, at the time, was the largest project at the Aquarium since the 2014 opening of the Great Maya Reef. The gallery is located between the penguin and sea otter habitats, across from the seahorse gallery.
Toth added, “Our hope is that by reaching into the touch pool creates a connection, sparking action to protect marine life and the ocean.”
For more information, about the Aquarium’s Shark Discover visit: https://audubonnatureinstitute.org/explore-aquari…
“Sharks play a vital role in top-down maintenance of ocean ecosystems around the world,” said Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Audubon Aquarium of the Americas Rich Toth. “Globally, shark and ray species are threatened with extinction largely due to overfishing and other unsustainable human practices.”
As a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Audubon Aquarium has partnered with fellow member organizations to help the SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction initiative. AZA SAFE provides a new approach for collaborative conservation with a Conservation Action Plan that includes specific projects, goals, and actions to address the needs of each species, including sharks and rays.
Last year, the Aquarium opened Shark Discovery, a 13,000-gallon shark and ray touch pool. The pool measures approximately 60 feet long and 16 feet at its widest point—six times the size of the previous stingray touch pool at the Aquarium. A massive LED screen running the entire length of the pool features a variety of sharks, rays, and fish to highlight the diversity of the ocean.
By fostering a connection to marine life through hands-on interaction with sharks, Audubon hopes to encourage an appreciation for the often misunderstood, but essential, species. The goal of the newest experience is help guests realize that sharks have far more to fear from humans than humans do from them.
Shark and Ray Facts:
• Sharks and rays are usually very wary of people and will swim away long before you see them.
• Sharks and rays do not have true bones, they have cartilage instead.
• Sharks inhabit all the world’s oceans, and some can even be found in freshwater rivers and lakes.
• The greatest threat to sharks is HUMANS. Each year, tens of millions of sharks are killed for their fins.
The habitat is home to a number of shark and ray species, including white spotted bamboo shark, epaulette shark, southern stingray, coral cat shark, bullnose ray, blue-spotted stingray, and cownose stingray. The habitat spans much of the Aquarium’s second floor and, at the time, was the largest project at the Aquarium since the 2014 opening of the Great Maya Reef. The gallery is located between the penguin and sea otter habitats, across from the seahorse gallery.
Toth added, “Our hope is that by reaching into the touch pool creates a connection, sparking action to protect marine life and the ocean.”
For more information, about the Aquarium’s Shark Discover visit: https://audubonnatureinstitute.org/explore-aquari…