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40-741: Pine Knoll Shores: 430,000 US gallons (1,600,000 L; 360,000 imp gal) North Carolina Aquariums is a system of three public aquariums located in Kure Beach , Roanoke Island and Pine Knoll Shores . All are operated by the Aquariums Division of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources since 1976 and were accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums . All three aquariums feature dive shows, live animal encounters, and feeding programs. The focus of

80-499: A "Live Dive!" show, puppet shows, quiz games and hands-on activities. A number of special activities are available for a small fee. In the summer, beginning June 1, the North Carolina Aquarium offers snorkeling , surfing classes, night treks to search for nesting sea turtles, onboard collection and river cruises, kayaking and canoeing excursions, and fishing courses. Kayaking, canoeing and fishing programs continue into

120-558: A day, but gave greater emphasis to groundbreaking scientific research . The aquarium also captured other orcas, belugas , narwhals and dolphins . The Monterey Bay Aquarium was the first public aquarium to display a great white shark . Beginning in September 2004, the Outer Bay exhibit (now the Open Sea galleries) was the home to the first in a series of great white sharks. The shark was at

160-618: A dozen other fish species. The facility closed in November 1999 for a major expansion and reopened in March 2002. The new construction increased the size of aquarium systems from 77,000 US gallons (290,000 L; 64,000 imp gal) to 455,000 US gallons (1,720,000 L; 379,000 imp gal). The expansion included the creation of the Cape Fear Shoals tank, a 235,000-US-gallon (890,000 L; 196,000 imp gal) exhibit recreating

200-572: A multiple-story Atlantic Coral Reef. The Monterey Bay Aquarium has a shallow tank filled with common types of rays which visitors are encouraged to touch. The South Carolina Aquarium lets visitors feed the rays in their Saltmarsh Aviary exhibit. The largest public aquarium is the Chimelong Ocean Kingdom theme park, opened in 2014 in Hengqin , Zhuhai , with a total of 48.75 million litres (12.87 million US gal) of water. The second largest

240-427: A rocky outcrop surf zone. Masonboro Inlet Jetty features the fishes common around a wave-washed rock jetty, an indoor salt marsh , a sea horse habitat, and a loggerhead sea turtle display. The Open Oceans Gallery includes Sharkstooth Ledge, which features fish common to offshore North Carolina, such as pufferfish , hogfish , and filefish . The gallery also displays octopus , jellyfish , and corals native to

280-480: Is confined to tropical waters of Australia , Papua New Guinea , and Indonesia , but an individual from this genus, possibly representing an undescribed species, has been photographed at the Seychelles . They have short snouts with the nostrils placed almost at the tip, and well-elevated eyes and supraorbital ridges. The mouth is closer to the tip of the snout than the eyes, and lacks the connecting dermal fold across

320-481: Is distinguished by a relatively long snout with subterminal nostrils . The eyes and supraorbital ridges are hardly elevated. The mouth is closer to the eyes than to the tip of the snout, with lower labial folds usually connected across the chin by a flap of skin. The pectoral and pelvic fins are thin and not very muscular. No black hood on the head or large black spot on the side is present (though juveniles often are strongly marked with dark spots/bars). This genus

360-491: Is the Marine Life Park in southern Singapore with a total of 45 million litres (12 million US gal) of water for more than 100,000 marine animals of over 800 species. Most public aquariums are located close to the ocean , for a steady supply of natural seawater. An inland pioneer was Chicago's Shedd Aquarium that received seawater shipped by rail in special tank cars. The early (1911) Philadelphia Aquarium , built in

400-599: The Florida Aquarium , have aquatic aviaries . Modern aquariums also include land animals and plants that spend time in or near the water. For marketing purposes, many aquariums promote special exhibits, in addition to their permanent collections. Some have aquatic versions of a petting zoo . The National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland houses several exhibits including the Upland Tropical Rain Forest and

440-633: The Vancouver Aquarium in Vancouver , British Columbia , is a centre for marine research, conservation, and marine animal rehabilitation, particularly for the ecosystem of the Pacific Northwest. In 1964, the Vancouver Aquarium became the second aquarium to capture an orca , Moby Doll . He survived in captivity for just under three months, and the aquarium put him on display to the public for

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480-527: The red lionfish ( Pterois volitans ), and a North Carolina native, the spotted scorpionfish . They are both known for their inconspicuous, venomous spines. Lionfish are native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans , but in 2000 were confirmed as having established themselves in North Carolina. Australian spotted jellies, recently invasive in U.S. coastal waters, are among the gallery's newer exhibits. In June 2012,

520-628: The Charleston harbour. In January 1985, Kelly Tarlton began construction of the first aquarium to include a large transparent acrylic tunnel, Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World in Auckland , New Zealand. Construction took 10 months and cost NZ$ 3 million. The 110-metre (360 ft) tunnel was built from one- tonne (2,200-lb) slabs of German sheet plastic that were shaped locally in an oven. A moving walkway now transports visitors through, and groups of school children occasionally hold sleepovers there beneath

560-659: The Conservatory's groundcover. American alligators native to North Carolina occupy one of the larger exhibits in the Conservatory. An albino alligator exhibit opened in 2009. In 2006, the aquarium opened an exhibit featuring the venomous snakes of the region, including several species of rattlesnake , copperheads , and cottonmouths . The Coastal Waters Gallery, which includes the Coquina Outcrop Touch Pool, provides hands-on opportunities to learn about sea urchins , horseshoe crabs , whelks , and other creatures of

600-816: The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher , in Kure Beach , is to educate visitors about the waters of the Cape Fear region. The aquarium was recently named among the Best Aquariums in the United States by the Travel Channel and is one of the Top Ten Attractions in North Carolina. The Cape Fear Conservatory, the visitors' first stop in the aquarium, features freshwater life. In this large, tree-filled atrium, streams, ponds and swamps are home to frogs , snakes , bass , catfish , and perch . Box turtles hide among

640-696: The Sea Turtle Assistance and Rehabilitation (STAR) Center opened to the public. The Center rehabilitates endangered sea turtles, including those that have washed ashore after suffering cold-stunning in winter waters. In 2002, the NC Aquarium Society purchased Jennette's Pier in Nags Head, the oldest pier along the Outer Banks, with plans to refurbish it as an outreach site. Those plans were put on hold in September 2003, when Hurricane Isabel destroyed

680-796: The Shedd Aquarium was the largest in the United States until the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta opened in 2005. Entertainment and aquatic circus exhibits were combined as themes in Philadelphia's Aquarama Aquarium Theater of the Sea (1962–1969) and Camden 's re-invented Adventure Aquarium 2005, formerly the New Jersey State Aquarium (1992). The first Japanese public aquarium, a small freshwater aquarium called " Uonozoki " (now Tokyo Sea Life Park),

720-479: The aquarium for 198 days (the previous record was 16 days). The shark was released on 31 March 2005. The Adventure Aquarium in New Jersey has hippos . The Aquarium du Québec houses polar bears . Hemiscylliidae The Hemiscylliidae are a family of sharks in the order Orectolobiformes , commonly known as longtail carpet sharks and sometimes as bamboo sharks . They are found in shallow waters of

760-508: The aquarium opened the Bamboo Shark Touch Pool exhibit which allows visitors to touch live bamboo sharks. Bamboo sharks are considered harmless to humans and the aquarium hopes to educate visitors about sharks through interaction. The 550-US-gallon (2,100 L; 460 imp gal) Pacific Reef Display features living corals , giant clam , anemones , cardinalfish , hawkfish , clownfish , wrasses , surgeonfish , and nearly

800-1187: The chin. The pectoral and pelvic fins are thick and heavily muscular. Either a black hood on the head or a large black spot on the sides of the body is present. Nine recognized species are in this genus: Hemiscylliid sharks are sometimes kept in home aquaria. Species from this family are ideal aquarium sharks because their natural habitats are tidepools, coral beds, and around boulders. This predisposition towards relatively confined spaces helps them adapt better to home aquaria compared to other species. Their generally small size for sharks, and their preference for water temperatures comparable to those enjoyed by other common aquarium fish, have also endeared them to marine aquarists. Multiple species of hemiscylliids have been successfully induced to breed in captivity. Full-sized adult epaulette sharks are most successfully housed in tanks at or exceeding 680 litres (180 US gal), while adult bamboo sharks require more space and are known to do well in 910-litre (240 US gal) aquaria. Hemiscyliids in captivity are provided artificial caves in which to hide. However, unstable tank decor has been known to cause fatal injuries when

840-430: The city's disused water works , had to switch to treated city water when the nearby river became too contaminated. Similarly, the recently opened Georgia Aquarium filled its tanks with fresh water from the city water system and salinated its saltwater exhibits using the same commercial salt and mineral additives available to home aquarists. The South Carolina Aquarium pulls the salt water for their exhibits right out of

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880-607: The fall when seafood cooking classes are also offered. Behind-the-scenes tours, Dinner with the Critters, and Breakfast with the Rays are offered year-round. The North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island is a facility located on the Outer Banks . It holds a replica of the USS Monitor , a Civil War ironclad which sank off the coast of Cape Hatteras in late December, 1862. On June 27, 2014,

920-424: The hard bottomed coral reefs off the coast of North Carolina. Since reopening, the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores has continued to feature aquatic animals of North Carolina . Notable among them are sand tiger sharks , a green moray eel measuring about six feet long, a goliath grouper approaching four feet, and a number of sizable nurse sharks , sandbar sharks and various game fishes . Most of

960-605: The help of the public, two were named Neuse and Pungo after North Carolina rivers. Neuse and Pungo came to the aquarium when they were about a year old in 2006. Eno, the third otter, was brought to the aquarium at four weeks old in April 2008, after his mother was killed by a car near White Lake. Aquarists bottle-fed him until he could trade formula for fish and other solid food, and helped him learn to swim. Now he's strong, healthy, energetic and playful. Wide viewing windows bring their playful antics and underwater agility to child-eye-level, and

1000-474: The larger creatures inhabit the aquarium's centerpiece exhibit, the 306,000-US-gallon (1,160,000 L; 255,000 imp gal) Living Shipwreck. Along with hundreds of schooling fishes and other animals, they create a swirl of constant motion around a replica of U-352 , a German submarine that lost a World War II battle with a Coast Guard cutter off the North Carolina coast. The aquarium's three river otters also have lived up to expectations of stardom. With

1040-493: The lively pair enchants people of all ages. The North Carolina Aquarium also features two hands-on exhibits: the Tidal Touch Pool, featuring a large variety of aquatic invertebrates, and Skate and Ray Encounters. On August 11, 2010, a rare white sea turtle was brought to the aquarium for care. The turtle, Nimbus, was weak and smaller than the average loggerhead hatchling. It turned up when a hatched-out Pine Knoll Shores nest

1080-605: The mid-19th century, they have become popular and their numbers have increased. Most modern accredited aquariums stress conservation issues and educating the public. The first public aquarium was opened in London Zoo in May 1853; the Fish House , as it came to be known, was constructed much like a greenhouse . P.T. Barnum quickly followed in 1856 with the first American aquarium as part of his established Barnum's American Museum , which

1120-480: The operations of the North Carolina Aquariums. Public aquarium A public aquarium ( pl.   aquaria ) or public water zoo is the aquatic counterpart of a zoo , which houses living aquatic animal and plant specimens for public viewing. Most public aquariums feature tanks larger than those kept by home aquarists, as well as smaller tanks. Since the first public aquariums were built in

1160-462: The pier. Jennette's Pier is self-supporting and receives no state appropriations to operate. Three wind turbines on the pier when repaired and upgraded will provide a significant portion of the pier's electricity. The pier is also utilized as a platform for ocean-related scientific research projects. "Oceans Under Glass," a segment of a 1995 episode of the PBS television series Return to the Sea , profiles

1200-702: The state's waters. A new multimedia suite features an extinct whale-eating shark called megalodon . This exhibit have been opened on July 1, 2011, and includes projections on a 23-ft curved screen, as well as interactive holograms and touch-screen interfaces. Holding 235,000 US gallons (890,000 L; 196,000 imp gal), Cape Fear Shoals is the largest of the aquarium's saltwater exhibits. The 24-foot (7.3 m)-deep replica of an offshore reef affords two-story, multi-level views of large sharks , stingrays , groupers , and moray eels . The Exotic Aquatics Display features animals native to Indo-Pacific and other ocean regions. These displays include spiny lobsters,

1240-427: The structure is disturbed by the sharks' digging behavior. The British press on February 10, 2016 reported that a bamboo shark at Great Yarmouth’s Sea Life Centre was pregnant with two fertilized eggs. It is known that the shark has not come into contact with any other bamboo sharks since 2013. Although parthenogenesis is observed in a small number of species, this is such a rare occurrence in this species that it became

North Carolina Aquariums - Misplaced Pages Continue

1280-433: The structure. Plans were made to completely rebuild Jennette's as a concrete structure with a 1,000-foot (300 m) pier. $ 25 million was set aside for construction which began in early 2009. On May 21, 2011, Jennette's Pier was finally reopened to the public. Year-round education programs and week-long summer camps focused on ethical practices in recreational fishing, marine science, and resource conservation are conducted at

1320-507: The swimming sharks and rays. According to Samantha Muka, creating new public aquariums is an expensive process, that can become so expensive as to render the project economically unsustainable, due to the logistical demands of creating environments in which aquatic animals can survive. Public aquariums are often affiliated with oceanographic research institutions or conduct their research programs, and sometimes specialise in species and ecosystems that can be found in local waters. For example,

1360-456: The tropical Indo-Pacific . They are relatively small sharks, with the largest species reaching no more than 121 cm (48 in) in adult body length. They have elongated, cylindrical bodies, with short barbels and large spiracles . As their common name suggests, they have unusually long tails, which exceed the length of the rest of their bodies. They are sluggish fish, feeding on bottom-dwelling invertebrates and smaller fish. This genus

1400-402: Was a three-story building. Machinery and water tanks were on the ground floor, and aquarium basins for the fish on the first floor. Because of Brehm's special interest in birds, a huge aviary , with cages for mammals placed around it, was located on the second floor. The facility closed in 1910. The Artis aquarium at Amsterdam Zoo was constructed inside a Victorian building in 1882, and

1440-557: Was excavated for baby turtles left behind. Hampered by a cleft palate, it had to be coaxed into eating. It lagged behind in growth, also, but appears to be catching up with other hatchlings of the same age. Nimbus is on exhibit in the Tidal Waters Gallery. The turtle is something of a rock star at the aquarium — especially with visiting school groups. Throughout the year the North Carolina Aquarium offers free daily programs, including live animal programs, animal feeding presentations,

1480-1135: Was located on Broadway in New York City before it burned down. In 1859, the Aquarial Gardens were founded in Boston . A number of aquariums then opened in Europe, such as the Jardin d'Acclimatation in Paris and the Viennese Aquarium Salon (both founded 1860), the Marine Aquarium Temple as part of the Zoological Garden of Hamburg in Hamburg (1864), as well as aquariums in Berlin (1869) and Brighton (1872). The old Berlin Aquarium opened in 1869. The building site

1520-519: Was opened at the Ueno Zoo in 1882. Modern aquarium tanks can hold millions of litres of water and can house large species, including dolphins , sharks or beluga whales . This is accomplished through thick, clear acrylic glass windows. Aquatic and semiaquatic mammals, including otters and seals are often cared for at aquariums. Some establishments, such as the Oregon Coast Aquarium or

1560-942: Was renovated in 1997. At the end of the 19th century the Artis aquarium was considered state-of-the-art, as it was again at the end of the 20th century. Before its closing on 30 September 2013, the oldest American aquarium was the National Aquarium in Washington, D.C. , founded in 1873. This was followed by the opening of other public aquariums: San Francisco ( Woodward's Gardens , 1873–1890), Woods Hole ( Woods Hole Science Aquarium , 1885), New York City ( New York Aquarium , 1896–present), San Diego ( Scripps , 1903), Honolulu ( Waikiki Aquarium , 1904–present), Detroit ( Belle Isle Aquarium , 1904–2005, 2012–Present), Philadelphia ( Philadelphia Aquarium , 1911–1962), San Francisco ( Steinhart Aquarium , 1923), Chicago ( Shedd Aquarium , 1929). For many years,

1600-603: Was to be Unter den Linden (along a major avenue), in the centre of town, not at the Berlin Zoo . The aquarium's first director, Alfred Brehm , former director of the Hamburg Zoo from 1863 to 1866, served until 1874. With its emphasis on education , the public aquarium was designed like a grotto, part of it made of natural rock. The Geologische Grotte depicted "the strata of the earth 's crust ". The grotto also featured birds and pools for seals . The Aquarium Unter den Linden

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