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144-562: The Vancouver Aquarium was one of the first facilities to incorporate professional naturalists into the galleries to interpret animal behaviours. Prior to this, at the London Zoo Fish House , naturalists James S. Bowerbank , Ray Lankester , David W. Mitchell and Philip H. Gosse (the creator of the word aquarium) had regularly held "open house" events, but the Vancouver Aquarium was the first to employ educational naturalists on

288-595: A green sea turtle named Schoona. Schoona moved to Ripley's Aquarium in Toronto, Canada in January 2023. A number of freshwater fish, snakes , caimans , sloths , birds, and other creatures from the Amazon inhabit this gallery. This gallery is an exhibit focused on the plight of the world's frog population which endeavors to show how people can help protect frogs and other amphibians. It contains 26 species of amphibians from around

432-493: A 51–cent domestic rate stamp to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the aquarium. For many years, the primary attraction for visitors was the orca show. The aquarium was the second to capture a killer whale, Moby Doll , who was displayed for a day at Burrard Dry Dock on July 18, 1964. Subsequently, the public was kept away from him, however. Since then, it was home to Skana (at first called Walter ), Hyak II, Finna, Bjossa, and three of Bjossa's calves. When Finna died and Bjossa

576-568: A Canadian aquarium. A second calf, Tuvaq, was born on July 30, 2002, but died unexpectedly with no previous sign of illness on July 17, 2005. In 1996, the Vancouver Park Board instituted a municipal bylaw that prevents the Vancouver Aquarium from capturing cetaceans from the wild for display purposes, and only obtain cetaceans from other facilities if they were born in captivity, captured before 1996 or were rescued and deemed un-releasable after this date. On June 15, 2006, Canada Post issued

720-530: A Grade II listed building because of its historical and architectural significance. Rainforest Life is a walk-through indoor exhibit that houses many species of South American rainforest animals. Among the species in the main forest walk-through are Linnaeus's two-toed sloths , golden lion tamarins , red titi monkeys , red-faced spider monkeys , big hairy armadillos , Goeldi's marmosets , southern tamandua , golden-headed lion tamarins , red-footed tortoises and Rodrigues flying foxes . The building also has

864-561: A Japanese facility before being transferred to the Vancouver Aquarium in May 2017. Hazy, Sitka, Boni, and Yasha were previously housed at the Aquarium's off-site research facility until its closure. The aquarium also currently houses an adult male California sea lion ( Señor Cinco ) who was found with gunshot wounds on Vancouver's Spanish Banks on May 5, 2017, and blinded as a result. He is their first California sea lion on display and currently lives in

1008-963: A better chance of preventing their prey from escaping, which is killed by being thrown around, rammed and jumped on. Arctic orcas may attack beluga whales and narwhals stuck in pools enclosed by sea ice, the former are also driven into shallower water where juveniles are grabbed. By contrast, orcas appear to be wary of pilot whales , which have been recorded to mob and chase them. Nevertheless, possible predation on long-finned pilot whales has been recorded in Iceland , and one study suggests short-finned pilot whales are among Caribbean Orcas' prey. Killer whales have been recorded attacking short-finned pilot whales in Peru as well. Orcas also prey on larger species such as sperm whales , grey whales , humpback whales and minke whales . On three separate occasions in 2019 orcas were recorded to have killed blue whales off

1152-701: A darkened area called "Nightlife", which houses nocturnal animals such as Mohol bushbaby , slender lorises , West African pottos , Malagasy giant rats , aye-ayes and blind cave fish . The Mappin Terraces opened in 1913, and features an artificial rocky cliff made of concrete blocks for animal enrichment. This was the zoo's first major attempt at recreating natural environments without bars, influenced by European zoos such as Tierpark Hagenbeck, and many different species have been kept in this enclosure during its lifetime, including bears , penguins , sheep , goats , kangaroos , leopards, and wild boar . The Mappin Terraces

1296-445: A dead stranded animal in the Bay of Greifswald that had attracted a great deal of local interest. The orca is one of 35 species in the oceanic dolphin family , which first appeared about 11 million years ago. The orca lineage probably branched off shortly thereafter. Although it has morphological similarities with the false killer whale , the pygmy killer whale and the pilot whales ,

1440-496: A dramatic impact on prey species. However, whales in tropical areas appear to have more generalized diets due to lower food productivity. Orcas spend most of their time at shallow depths, but occasionally dive several hundred metres depending on their prey. Fish-eating orcas prey on around 30 species of fish. Some populations in the Norwegian and Greenland sea specialize in herring and follow that fish's autumnal migration to

1584-633: A female pup, Dory, the first seal born at the Marine Mammal Rescue Centre. Donnelly was deemed non-releasable due to her injuries which included blindness, and was transferred to the aquarium in October 2021. Dory was released into the wild on October 17, 2021. The aquarium also houses 6 northern fur seals ( Meechi , Tikva , Tuku , Kyoo , Aya , and Ani ), and eleven Steller sea lions ( Amak , Kenai , Willo , Ashby , Rogue , Bella Bella , Izzy , Hazy , Sitka , Boni , and Yasha ). Some of

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1728-486: A full-time basis. Aquarium research projects extend worldwide, and include marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation. On August 9, 2010, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell announced capital funding of up to $ 15 million. The province would donate $ 10 million in funding over the next three years to help pay for a planned expansion of the 54-year-old facility, Premier Gordon Campbell said. Harper added that Ottawa would hand over up to $ 5 million to

1872-487: A juvenile male named Gernot (the son of Effie and former silverback Kumbuka) born in November 2015, a female infant named Juno born to mother Mjukuu on 17 January 2024 and a second female infant named Venus was born to mother Effie on 8 February 2024, just three and a half weeks after the first. The Gorilla Kingdom area also features smaller enclosures housing white-naped mangabeys and Diana monkeys . The exhibit also features

2016-518: A large coral reef aquarium with corals and over 200 reef fish. The Millennium Conservation Centre aims to be environmentally friendly, constructed from materials requiring little energy to produce, and generating its heating from the body heat of both the animals and visitors. In May 2015, an exhibit called "In With the Spiders" opened in the exhibit as Europe's first and only spider walkthrough exhibit. It houses many different types of spiders, including one of

2160-435: A large fire broke out at Animal Adventure. The fire was brought under control by 9:30 am after spreading to the cafe and shop on the premises. It is estimated that three-quarters of the cafe/shop suffered severe damage. A nine-year-old aardvark named Misha was pronounced dead, and four meerkats were declared unaccounted for and presumed dead. The zoo reopened on Christmas Eve. One of London Zoo's most well-known buildings,

2304-523: A matriline is 5.5 animals. Because females can reach age 90, as many as four generations travel together. These matrilineal groups are highly stable. Individuals separate for only a few hours at a time, to mate or forage. With one exception, an orca named Luna , no permanent separation of an individual from a resident matriline has been recorded. Closely related matrilines form loose aggregations called pods, usually consisting of one to four matrilines. Unlike matrilines, pods may separate for weeks or months at

2448-540: A more limited repertoire. Individuals likely learn their dialect through contact with pod members. Family-specific calls have been observed more frequently in the days following a calf's birth, which may help the calf learn them. Dialects are probably an important means of maintaining group identity and cohesiveness. Similarity in dialects likely reflects the degree of relatedness between pods, with variation growing over time. When pods meet, dominant call types decrease and subset call types increase. The use of both call types

2592-563: A new exhibit opened here displaying several other arctic species, including fishes and invertebrates, along with expanded non-living exhibits as part of the Canada's Arctic Gallery. In 2016, the two rescued harbour porpoises from the BC Sugar Pool next door, moved to the Canada's Arctic Gallery. Following the deaths of two belugas in 2016, it has been converted into an active Steller sea lion research station called Steller's Bay in collaboration with

2736-509: A number of different galleries, several of which were built at different times throughout the aquarium's history. This central indoor exhibit consists of a 260,000 litres (57,000 imp gal; 69,000 US gal) tank directly adjacent to the entrance. Fish and invertebrates from the Strait of Georgia are displayed in the exhibit. Originally this gallery included the beluga whales along with several non-living displays. In October 2009,

2880-534: A particular group and passed along from generation to generation, are considered to be manifestations of animal culture . The International Union for Conservation of Nature assesses the orca's conservation status as data deficient because of the likelihood that two or more orca types are separate species . Some local populations are considered threatened or endangered due to prey depletion, habitat loss , pollution (by PCBs ), capture for marine mammal parks , and conflicts with human fisheries . In late 2005,

3024-456: A protective circle around their calves with their flukes facing outwards, using them to repel the attackers. There is also evidence that humpback whales will defend against or mob orcas who are attacking either humpback calves or juveniles as well as members of other species. Prior to the advent of industrial whaling , great whales may have been the major food source for orcas. The introduction of modern whaling techniques may have aided orcas by

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3168-417: A reptile house. The pavilion houses roughly 50 different species of exotic rainforest birds, including blue-crowned laughingthrushes , collared trogons , Socorro doves , red-crested turacos , splendid sunbirds and red-and-yellow barbets . Outside the entrance is one of the pavilion's prominent features, a large elaborate clock by Tim Hunkin . It gives a bird-themed display every thirty minutes throughout

3312-737: A small group, herring are often caught using carousel feeding : the orcas force the herring into a tight ball by releasing bursts of bubbles or flashing their white undersides. They then slap the ball with their tail flukes, stunning or killing up to 15 fish at a time, then eating them one by one. Carousel feeding has been documented only in the Norwegian orca population, as well as some oceanic dolphin species. In New Zealand, sharks and rays appear to be important prey, including eagle rays , long-tail and short-tail stingrays , common threshers , smooth hammerheads , blue sharks , basking sharks , and shortfin makos . With sharks, orcas may herd them to

3456-535: A study of cytochrome b gene sequences indicates that its closest extant relatives are the snubfin dolphins of the genus Orcaella . However, a more recent (2018) study places the orca as a sister taxon to the Lissodelphininae, a clade that includes Lagenorhynchus and Cephalorhynchus . In contrast, a 2019 phylogenetic study found the orca to be the second most basal member of the Delphinidae, with only

3600-798: A time. DNA testing indicates resident males nearly always mate with females from other pods. Clans, the next level of resident social structure, are composed of pods with similar dialects, and common but older maternal heritage. Clan ranges overlap, mingling pods from different clans. The highest association layer is the community, which consists of pods that regularly associate with each other but share no maternal relations or dialects. Transient pods are smaller than resident pods, typically consisting of an adult female and one or two of her offspring. Males typically maintain stronger relationships with their mothers than other females. These bonds can extend well into adulthood. Unlike residents, extended or permanent separation of transient offspring from natal matrilines

3744-540: A variety of techniques designed to stop them, such as the use of unbaited lines as decoys. Once, fishermen placed their boats several miles apart, taking turns retrieving small amounts of their catch, in the hope that the whales would not have enough time to move between boats to steal the catch as it was being retrieved. The tactic worked initially, but the orcas figured it out quickly and split into groups. In other anecdotes, researchers describe incidents in which wild orcas playfully tease humans by repeatedly moving objects

3888-486: A walk-through aviary housing African birds . Into Africa is an Africa -themed area that opened in April 2006. Animals on display in this area include Chapman's zebras , common warthogs , okapis , common ostriches , giraffes , pygmy hippos , and African wild dogs . The Giraffe House at London Zoo, built in 1837, is the world's oldest zoo building still used for its original purpose. The Giraffe House has been designated as

4032-487: A week to assist the running of London Zoo, wearing red pullovers, are employed by both Education and Animal care. During the covid epidemic , which started in 2020, the zoo was closed from 21 March to 15 June 2020. This closure resulted in a "perilous financial position" for the zoo due to the loss of revenue. The Snowdon Aviary was redeveloped as Monkey Valley , opening in 2022. The Zoo has many named areas and attractions. Several of them are available for hire outside

4176-458: A weight of over 10 t (9.8 long tons; 11 short tons). Calves at birth weigh about 180 kg (400 lb) and are about 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) long. The skeleton of the orca is typical for an oceanic dolphin, but more robust. With their distinctive pigmentation, adult orcas are seldom confused with any other species. When seen from a distance, juveniles can be confused with false killer whales or Risso's dolphins . The orca

4320-416: A whale species, perhaps a narwhal . As part of the family Delphinidae , the species is more closely related to other oceanic dolphins than to other whales. They are sometimes referred to as "blackfish", a name also used for other whale species. "Grampus" is a former name for the species, but is now seldom used. This meaning of "grampus" should not be confused with the genus Grampus , whose only member

4464-430: Is Risso's dolphin . Orcinus orca is the only recognized extant species in the genus Orcinus , and one of many animal species originally described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae . Konrad Gessner wrote the first scientific description of an orca in his Piscium & aquatilium animantium natura of 1558, part of the larger Historia animalium , based on examination of

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4608-533: Is a zebra shark who arrived at the Vancouver Aquarium around 2008. Giselle is around 15 years old and has since been relocated. The Vancouver Aquarium has created and operates a number of conservation and research programs aimed at understanding and preserving animal species in the wild. The Vancouver Aquarium operates a Marine Mammal Rescue program which is aimed at rescuing and rehabilitating marine mammals that are found injured, ill, or abandoned, until they can be re-released into their natural habitats. On average,

4752-673: Is a behaviour in which a whale holds its head above water to view its surroundings. Resident orcas swim alongside porpoises and other dolphins . Orcas will engage in surplus killing , that is, killing that is not designed to be for food. As an example, a BBC film crew witnessed orca in British Columbia playing with a male Steller sea lion to exhaustion, but not eating it. Orcas are notable for their complex societies. Only elephants and higher primates live in comparably complex social structures . Due to orcas' complex social bonds, many marine experts have concerns about how humane it

4896-597: Is a collaborative conservation and research program between the Vancouver Aquarium and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada aimed at collecting reports and sightings of whales and sea turtles in the wild. The Sightings Network is a network of over 1,800 observers across British Columbia, including whale watching operators, lighthouse keepers, charter boat operators, tugboat captains, BC Ferries personnel, researchers, government employees, recreational boaters and coastal residents. The program aims to solicit reports through

5040-568: Is a series of separate exhibits that simulate the various aquatic environments on the BC coast. A giant pacific octopus , rockfish , sea stars, sea urchins, and anemones are among the animals here. In 2021, the Vancouver Aquarium opened the Marine Rescue Exhibit where visitors can meet ambassador animals from the Marine Mammal Rescue Centre. This gallery contains a large display of tropical fish and other animals, including blacktip reef sharks and

5184-473: Is a walk-through exhibit housing various species of birds including waldrapp ibises , Abdim's storks , great arguses , emerald doves , and scarlet ibises . The Blackburn Pavilion is a rainforest-themed tropical bird aviary that opened in March 2008 as a refurbishment of the zoo's outdated birdhouse. It rejuvenated the birdhouse by adding a walk-through element. The building was originally constructed in 1883 as

5328-857: Is called biphonation. The increased subset call types may be the distinguishing factor between pods and inter-pod relations. Dialects also distinguish types. Resident dialects contain seven to 17 (mean = 11) distinctive call types. All members of the North American west coast transient community express the same basic dialect, although minor regional variation in call types is evident. Preliminary research indicates offshore orcas have group-specific dialects unlike those of residents and transients. Norwegian and Icelandic herring -eating orcas appear to have different vocalizations for activities like hunting. A population that live in McMurdo Sound , Antarctica have 28 complex burst-pulse and whistle calls. Orcas have

5472-600: Is common, with juveniles and adults of both sexes participating. Some males become "rovers" and do not form long-term associations, occasionally joining groups that contain reproductive females. As in resident clans, transient community members share an acoustic repertoire, although regional differences in vocalizations have been noted. As with residents and transients, the lifestyle of these whales appears to reflect their diet; fish-eating orcas off Norway have resident-like social structures, while mammal-eating orcas in Argentina and

5616-549: Is constructed with a pyramidal aluminium framework reaching 21m high. In 2021, the aviary was re-developed into a walkthrough primatarium called "Monkey Valley", which opened to the public in August 2022 and houses a troop of eastern black and white colobus monkeys . The structure has been a Grade II* listed building since 1998. Land of the Lions is London Zoo's Asiatic lion enclosure, opened in 2016. It covers 2,500 square metres, and

5760-410: Is currently an Australia-themed exhibit called "The Outback", housing emus and red-necked wallabies . There was an aquarium at the zoo from 1853 until 2019. The zoo's first aquarium was also the world's first public aquarium, and was created and stocked by Philip Henry Gosse who coined the word "aquarium", as a portmanteau of aquatic vivarium. In 1853 opened a building known as Fish House, while

5904-542: Is currently undeveloped. London Zoo established a Community Access Scheme in 2019 to provide 100,000 subsidised tickets to charities and groups assisting low-income families, older individuals, and people with disabilities. The scheme is intended to run until 2023. This started with a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to convert the Snowdon Aviary to a colobus monkey enclosure. The scheme

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6048-475: Is designed to resemble an Indian town on the edge of the Gir Forest National Park , intended to demonstrate how the lion's natural habitat overlaps with local urban environments. Hanuman langurs , small Indian mongooses , and Rüppell's vultures are also displayed in this area. Tiger Territory is London Zoo's Sumatran tiger enclosure, designed by architect Michael Kozdon and officially opened by

6192-576: Is difficult to estimate, but they clearly prefer higher latitudes and coastal areas over pelagic environments. Areas which serve as major study sites for the species include the coasts of Iceland , Norway, the Valdés Peninsula of Argentina, the Crozet Islands , New Zealand and parts of the west coast of North America, from California to Alaska . Systematic surveys indicate the highest densities of orcas (>0.40 individuals per 100 km ) in

6336-427: Is home to Asian small-clawed otters , while the other enclosure houses meerkats . The exhibit was initially designed to accommodate meerkats , otters , European forest reindeer and Goeldi's monkeys . However, the reindeer were relocated to Whipsnade Zoo , and the monkeys were transferred to the zoo's Rainforest Life building. Three Island Pond was only granted exhibit status in 2021. This artificially shaped pond

6480-464: Is home to 8 sea otters : Past otters: The aquarium is also home to four harbor seals at this time, 2 females and 2 males (Jessica Seal, Donnelly, DaVinci, and Hermes). Jessica Seal was rescued from Kitsilano Beach in 2019 after being discovered to have been shot in the head by birdshot and blinded as a result. Donnelly was rescued after being hit by a boat in Indian Arm in May 2021. She gave birth to

6624-472: Is intended to strengthen the Canadian/U.S. partnership for protecting and restoring shared ocean resources. On August 31, 2020, the non-profit announced on Facebook that due to the financial stresses caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic , it was pausing its public programming for the time being while it engages in strategic planning for the financial sustainability of its future operations. On April 15, 2021,

6768-812: Is likely to be the result of scavenging remains dumped by whalers. One orca was also attacked by its companions after being shot. Although resident orcas have never been observed to eat other marine mammals, they occasionally harass and kill porpoises and seals for no apparent reason. Some dolphins recognize resident orcas as harmless and remain in the same area. Orcas do consume seabirds but are more likely to kill and leave them uneaten. Penguin species recorded as prey in Antarctic and sub-Antarctic waters include gentoo penguins , chinstrap penguins , king penguins and rockhopper penguins . Orcas in many areas may prey on cormorants and gulls . A captive orca at Marineland of Canada discovered it could regurgitate fish onto

6912-442: Is mainly limited to surfacing activities and milling (slow swimming with no apparent direction) after a kill. All members of a resident pod use similar calls, known collectively as a dialect . Dialects are composed of specific numbers and types of discrete, repetitive calls. They are complex and stable over time. Call patterns and structure are distinctive within matrilines. Newborns produce calls similar to their mothers, but have

7056-427: Is mostly black but with sharply bordered white areas. The entire lower jaw is white and from here, the colouration stretches across the underside to the genital area; narrowing and expanding some, and extending into lateral flank patches close to the end. The tail fluke (fin) is also white on the underside, while the eyes have white oval-shaped patches behind and above them, and a grey or white "saddle patch" exists behind

7200-493: Is named after the three islands within it. It is separated into two enclosures: one houses greater flamingoes , and the other is home to Eastern white pelicans . Other notable animals in London Zoo's collection include Bactrian camels , military macaws , hyacinth macaws , blue-throated macaws and Alaotran gentle lemurs . The zoo's north bank, north of the canal, formerly housed the bird incubation and rearing unit. The area

7344-562: Is now its own exhibit, known as The Cassons, and it houses a family of red river hogs and babirusas . Opened by the Duke of Edinburgh in March 2007, Gorilla Kingdom consists of a moated island, home to a group of western lowland gorillas . The zoo currently holds seven gorillas: an adult male named Kiburi, two adult females named Mjukuu and Effie, a juvenile female named Alika (the daughter of Mjukuu and former silverback Kumbuka) born in December 2014,

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7488-426: Is to keep them in captivity . Resident orcas in the eastern North Pacific live in particularly complex and stable social groups. Unlike any other known mammal social structure, resident whales live with their mothers for their entire lives. These family groups are based on matrilines consisting of the eldest female (matriarch) and her sons and daughters, and the descendants of her daughters, etc. The average size of

7632-487: The Atlantic white-sided dolphin ( Leucopleurus acutus ) being more basal. The three to five types of orcas may be distinct enough to be considered different races , subspecies , or possibly even species (see Species problem ). The IUCN reported in 2008, "The taxonomy of this genus is clearly in need of review, and it is likely that O. orca will be split into a number of different species or at least subspecies over

7776-540: The Crozet Islands behave more like transients. Orcas of the same sex and age group may engage in physical contact and synchronous surfacing. These behaviours do not occur randomly among individuals in a pod, providing evidence of "friendships". Like all cetaceans , orcas depend heavily on underwater sound for orientation, feeding, and communication. They produce three categories of sounds: clicks, whistles, and pulsed calls. Clicks are believed to be used primarily for navigation and discriminating prey and other objects in

7920-504: The Crozet Islands , mothers push their calves onto the beach, waiting to pull the youngster back if needed. In March 2023, a female orca was spotted with a newborn pilot whale in Snæfellsnes . People who have interacted closely with orcas offer numerous anecdotes demonstrating the whales' curiosity, playfulness, and ability to solve problems. Alaskan orcas have not only learned how to steal fish from longlines , but have also overcome

8064-400: The Crozet Islands , orcas feed on South American sea lions and southern elephant seals in shallow water, even beaching temporarily to grab prey before wriggling back to the sea. Beaching, usually fatal to cetaceans, is not an instinctive behaviour, and can require years of practice for the young. Orcas can then release the animal near juvenile whales, allowing the younger whales to practice

8208-527: The Duke of Edinburgh in March 2013. The zoo currently houses four tigers: a male named Asim, a female named Gaysha, and their two cubs, Zac and Crispin, born in June 2022. The enclosure is 2,500 square metres (27,000 square feet) in size and features authentic Indonesian plant life, as well as a net canopy of 3mm steel cable supported by four metal poles. The Casson Pavilion is one of the zoo's Grade II listed buildings and

8352-569: The Faroe Islands . In the Antarctic, orcas range up to the edge of the pack ice and are believed to venture into the denser pack ice, finding open leads much like beluga whales in the Arctic. However, orcas are merely seasonal visitors to Arctic waters, and do not approach the pack ice in the summer. With the rapid Arctic sea ice decline in the Hudson Strait , their range now extends deep into

8496-666: The Species Survival Plan . Penguin Point was demolished in June 2023 to make way for a future habitat. This is an outdoor gallery that includes several pools, including the Marine Mammal Rescue exhibit in which several pinniped species ( harbour seals , Steller's sea lions , and a California sea lion ) are rotated in display. Sea otters are also permanently on display here, along with a "surge pool" where visitors are able to touch British Columbian invertebrates. This gallery

8640-575: The University of British Columbia . The exhibit reopened as Steller's Bay on July 1, 2017, while still retaining the Canada's Arctic portion in the underwater gallery. It is home to four female and two male Steller sea lions . In June 2018, a new "Research Outpost" Exhibit opened as an addition to Steller's Bay and programs about the aquarium's research and work regarding walruses , northern fur seals , and Steller sea lions occur. Inspired by Boulders Beach , this exhibit features African penguins bred by

8784-472: The nominate subspecies . Four types have been documented in the Antarctic , Types A–D. Two dwarf species, named Orcinus nanus and Orcinus glacialis , were described during the 1980s by Soviet researchers, but most cetacean researchers are skeptical about their status. Complete mitochondrial sequencing indicates the two Antarctic groups (types B and C) should be recognized as distinct species, as should

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8928-426: The southern resident orcas were placed on the U.S. Endangered Species list . Orcas are not usually a threat to humans, and no fatal attack has ever been documented in their natural habitat. There have been cases of captive orcas killing or injuring their handlers at marine theme parks. Orcas also feature strongly in the mythologies of indigenous cultures, and their reputation in different cultures ranges from being

9072-931: The thylacine , the Falkland Islands Wolf , a pair of pink headed ducks , some Passenger pigeons , the Bubal hartebeest , the Syrian wild ass , the Northern Sumatran rhinoceros , the Javan tiger , the Schomburgk's deer , the Pinta Island tortoise , the Caspian tiger , as well as the endlings of the norfolk kaka , the Partula turgida snail, and the Santa Lucian Pilorie . Obaysch

9216-451: The 1980s, London Zoo housed 8,000 animals of more than 900 species, and in the 1990s, the zoo possessed 7,000 animals of 850 species; the next biggest collection in Britain was Chester Zoo , with just under 3,500 animals. Many of the species in London Zoo could not be seen anywhere else in the country, such as the wombat , Tasmanian devil or long-nosed potoroo . Although this vast collection

9360-513: The 1990s was controversially attributed by some scientists to orca predation, although with no direct evidence. The decline of sea otters followed a decline in seal populations, which in turn may be substitutes for their original prey, now decimated by industrial whaling. Orcas have been observed preying on terrestrial mammals , such as moose swimming between islands off the northwest coast of North America. Orca cannibalism has also been reported based on analysis of stomach contents, but this

9504-401: The 2000s that 2,321 orcas were in the seas around Japan. Orcas are apex predators , meaning that they themselves have no natural predators. They are sometimes called "wolves of the sea", because they hunt in groups like wolf packs. Orcas hunt varied prey including fish, cephalopods , mammals, seabirds , and sea turtles . Different populations or ecotypes may specialize, and some can have

9648-403: The Aquarium announced that an agreement had been signed to transfer ownership from Ocean Wise to Herschend Family Entertainment . The aquarium reopened to the public on August 16, 2021. The aquarium covers approximately 9,000 square metres (97,000 sq ft) and has a total 9,500,000 litres (2,100,000 imp gal; 2,500,000 US gal) of water in 166 aquatic displays. There are

9792-524: The Aquarium announced that an agreement had been signed to transfer ownership from the Ocean Wise Conservation Association to Herschend Family Entertainment . The Vancouver Public Aquarium Association was formed in 1950 by UBC fisheries and oceanography professors Murray Newman, Carl Lietze and Wilbert Clemens. After receiving the help of timber baron H.R. MacMillan , alderman and businessman George Cunningham and $ 100,000 from each of

9936-442: The Aquarium. The Vancouver Aquarium currently houses around 300 species of fish, almost 30,000 invertebrates, and 56 species of amphibians and reptiles. They also have around 60 mammals and birds. Currently, the Aquarium no longer houses cetaceans , including Pacific white-sided dolphins . Previous individuals were: The aquarium used to house a false killer whale : Until 2016, the aquarium also housed two beluga whales . Qila

10080-500: The BC Sugar Pool habitat. On July 1, 2008, Tag , a 15-year-old male sea lion, died due to oral cancer, despite receiving laser surgery and chemotherapy. Tag was a 15-year-old male sea lion who arrived at the aquarium as a 2-week-old pup. The aquarium has one green sea turtle (Schoona). Schoona is a 16-year-old sea turtle, who arrived at the aquarium in 2005. In 2023 she was moved to Ripley's Aquarium in Toronto , Ontario . Giselle

10224-513: The Galápagos was opened in 2009 to coincide with the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin , and is home to three female Galápagos giant tortoises named Dolly, Polly and Priscilla. It includes a large indoor area with a heated pond and underfloor heating , while the outdoor paddock has been designed to mimic the tortoise's natural environment and features two heated pools, one of which is a naturalistic clay wallow. London Zoo's Komodo dragon enclosure

10368-540: The Lemurs is a walk-through exhibit housing a group of ring-tailed lemurs and Lac Alaotra bamboo lemurs . It also has a family of aye-ayes living in the indoor section as well as lesser hedgehog tenrecs . The exhibit is designed to resemble a shrub forest in Madagascar , featuring plant life such as loquat and Chusan palm trees. Opened by comedians Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt of The Mighty Boosh in 2005, Meet

10512-476: The Monkeys is a walk-through enclosure that houses a troop of black-capped squirrel monkeys . The exhibit has no roof, and there are no boundaries between the monkeys and the visitors. It is the southernmost enclosure in the zoo. Opened in May 2006, Butterfly Paradise houses several species of butterfly and moth from around the world, as well as plant species specially selected to provide nectar and breeding areas for

10656-762: The North Pacific transients, leaving the others as subspecies pending additional data. A 2019 study of Type D orcas also found them to be distinct from other populations and possibly even a unique species. Orcas are the largest extant members of the dolphin family. Males typically range from 6 to 8 m (20 to 26 ft) long and weigh in excess of 6 t (5.9 long tons; 6.6 short tons). Females are smaller, generally ranging from 5 to 7 m (16 to 23 ft) and weighing about 3 to 4 t (3.0 to 3.9 long tons; 3.3 to 4.4 short tons). Orcas may attain larger sizes as males have been recorded at 9.8 m (32 ft) and females at 8.5 m (28 ft). Large males can reach

10800-489: The Norwegian coast. Salmon account for 96% of northeast Pacific residents' diet, including 65% of large, fatty Chinook . Chum salmon are also eaten, but smaller sockeye and pink salmon are not a significant food item. Depletion of specific prey species in an area is, therefore, cause for concern for local populations, despite the high diversity of prey. On average, an orca eats 227 kilograms (500 lb) each day. While salmon are usually hunted by an individual whale or

10944-551: The Queen begging her to stop the sale. He was sold to Phineas Barnum 's circus, the Barnum & Bailey Circus , in 1882, where he was later crushed by a locomotive and killed. Winnipeg the Bear (or Winnie) was an American black bear given to the zoo in 1914 by a Canadian lieutenant , Harry Colebourn . A. A. Milne visited with his son Christopher Robin , and the boy was so enamoured with

11088-796: The Reptile House opened in 1927 and was designed by Joan Beauchamp Procter and Sir Edward Guy Dawber . It housed several species of reptile, including Jamaican boa , Philippine crocodiles , Annam leaf turtles , Fiji banded iguanas , northern caiman lizards , puff adders , king cobras and emerald tree boas . In December 2012, a refurbished amphibian section was opened to the public, displaying amphibians such as Chinese giant salamanders , axolotls , African bullfrogs , Lake Oku clawed frogs , White's tree frogs and various types of poison dart frog . A new Reptile House, titled "The Secret Life of Reptiles and Amphibians", opened in Easter 2024. Giants of

11232-468: The Rescue Centre admits approximately 100 distressed marine mammals per year. The vast majority of these are harbour seals , but patients can include sea otters , elephant seals , Steller sea lions , harbour porpoises , and common dolphins . The program notably helped rescue Springer , an orphaned killer whale successfully released and reunited with her family pod. Other high-profile rescues include

11376-521: The United Kingdom's most endangered animals, the fen raft spider , as well as golden orb weavers . Penguin Beach opened on 26 May 2011 and houses Humboldt penguins . A single male northern rockhopper penguin named Ricky also lived there until he was moved to Whipsnade Zoo in March 2017. The pool itself is the largest penguin pool containing penguins in an English zoo. Opened in March 2015, In with

11520-594: The Vancouver Aquarium was the first aquarium accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The aquarium is also accredited by the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA) and in 1987 was designated Canada's Pacific National Aquarium by the Canadian Federal Government. On July 23, 1995, a beluga whale named Qila was born. She was the first beluga to be both conceived and born in

11664-439: The Vancouver Park Board voted in favour of a proposal to expand the aquarium at a cost of $ 100 million, funded by the aquarium, private donors, and infrastructure grants. A public consultation process, led by the aquarium and their own consultants, showed 89% of local residents were in favour of the expansion. The proposal will increase the size of the aquarium by 1.5 acres (6,100 m) and extend its lease by 20 years. Construction

11808-470: The age of 10 and reach peak fertility around 20, experiencing periods of polyestrous cycling separated by non-cycling periods of three to 16 months. Females can often breed until age 40, followed by a rapid decrease in fertility. Orcas are among the few animals that undergo menopause and live for decades after they have finished breeding. The lifespans of wild females average 50 to 80 years. Some are claimed to have lived substantially longer: Granny (J2)

11952-520: The animals of the Tower of London menagerie were transferred to the zoo's collection. It was opened to the public in 1847. As of December 2022, it houses a collection of 14,926 individuals, making it one of the largest collections in the United Kingdom. It is managed under the aegis of the Zoological Society of London (established in 1826), and is situated at the northern edge of Regent's Park , on

12096-558: The aquarium for infrastructure upgrades. The aquarium, however, remained nonprofit organization . The property is owned by the City of Vancouver and rented to the aquarium for $ 40,000 a year since 1991 (prior to which it was $ 1 per year). In October 2009 the Vancouver Aquarium was designated as a Coastal America Learning Center by the US Environmental Protection Agency . As the first Learning Center in Canada, this designation

12240-400: The bear Milne wrote the famous series of books for him entitled Winnie-the-Pooh . A 2004 film, A Bear Named Winnie , is based on the story of Winnie the bear, with Michael Fassbender playing Harry Colebourn. Orca The orca ( Orcinus orca ), or killer whale , is a toothed whale and the largest member of the oceanic dolphin family. It is the only extant species in

12384-588: The boundary line between the City of Westminster and the borough of Camden (the Regent's Canal runs through it). The Society also has a more spacious site at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire to which the larger animals such as elephants and rhinos have been moved. As well as being the first scientific zoo, London Zoo also opened the first reptile house (1849), the first public aquarium (1853), first insect house (1881) and

12528-505: The day. The Gibbon Habitat is a new enclosure for the zoo's two gibbons. It has two viewing points: one at ground level near the camel paddock and one at a higher level from Tiger Territory. One male pair is a northern white-cheeked gibbon , and the other is a hybrid species. They were initially housed in the Gorilla Kingdom. The Meerkats and Otters exhibit, previously known as "Happy Families", consists of two enclosures. One enclosure

12672-474: The decline of these as well. Other marine mammal prey includes seal species such as harbour seals , elephant seals , California sea lions , Steller sea lions , South American sea lions and walruses . Often, to avoid injury, orcas disable their prey before killing and eating it. This may involve throwing it in the air, slapping it with their tails, ramming it, or breaching and landing on it. In steeply banked beaches off Península Valdés , Argentina, and

12816-464: The difficult capture technique on the now-weakened prey. In the Antarctic, type B orcas hunt Weddell seals and other prey by "wave-hunting". They "spy-hop" to locate them on resting on ice floes, and then swim in groups to create waves that wash over the floe. This washes the prey into the water, where other orcas lie in wait. In the Aleutian Islands , a decline in sea otter populations in

12960-648: The dorsal fin and across the back. Males and females also have different patterns of black and white skin in their genital areas. In newborns, the white areas are yellow or orange coloured. Antarctic orcas may have pale grey to nearly white backs. Some Antarctic orcas are brown and yellow due to diatoms in the water. Both albino and melanistic orcas have been documented. Orca pectoral fins are large and rounded, resembling paddles, with those of males significantly larger than those of females. Dorsal fins also exhibit sexual dimorphism , with those of males about 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) high, more than twice

13104-492: The dorsal fin and the pattern of white or grey in the saddle patch are unique. Published directories contain identifying photographs and names for hundreds of North Pacific animals. Photographic identification has enabled the local population of orcas to be counted each year rather than estimated, and has enabled great insight into life cycles and social structures. Orcas are found in all oceans and most seas. Due to their enormous range , numbers, and density, relative distribution

13248-585: The dragon's natural habitat of a dry river bed, and sounds of Indonesian birds are regularly played into the enclosure. Tiny Giants, formerly called B.U.G.S., is an exhibit featuring invertebrates and fish. It is held in a building called The Millennium Conservation Centre, and the building displays over 160 species, including western honey bees , leafcutter ants , emperor scorpions , golden orb weavers , Madagascar orb weavers , Mexican redknee tarantulas , bird-eating spiders , desert locusts , moon jellyfish , partula snails and many others. It also features

13392-522: The elevation of Eastern North American resident and transient orcas as distinct species, O. ater and O. rectipinnus respectively. The Society for Marine Mammalogy declined to recognize the two species, citing uncertainty as to whether the types constituted unique species or subspecies. "Pending a more complete global review and revision", the Society provisionally recognized them as subspecies Orcinus orca ater and O. o. rectipinnus , with O. o. orca as

13536-519: The first children's zoo (1938). ZSL receives no state funding and relies on 'Fellows' and 'Friends' memberships, entrance fees, venue hire, and sponsorship to generate income. The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) was established by Sir Stamford Raffles and Sir Humphry Davy in 1826, who obtained the land for the zoo and saw the plans before Raffles died of apoplexy (a stroke ) later that year on 5 July, his birthday. After his death, Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne took over

13680-637: The genus Orcinus and is recognizable by its black-and-white patterned body. A cosmopolitan species , they are found in diverse marine environments, from Arctic to Antarctic regions to tropical seas. Orcas are apex predators with a diverse diet. Individual populations often specialize in particular types of prey. This includes a variety of fish , sharks , rays , and marine mammals such as seals and other dolphins and whales . They are highly social ; some populations are composed of highly stable matrilineal family groups (pods). Their sophisticated hunting techniques and vocal behaviors, often specific to

13824-526: The humans are trying to reach, or suddenly start to toss around a chunk of ice after a human throws a snowball. The orca's use of dialects and the passing of other learned behaviours from generation to generation have been described as a form of animal culture . The complex and stable vocal and behavioural cultures of sympatric groups of killer whales ( Orcinus orca ) appear to have no parallel outside humans and represent an independent evolution of cultural faculties. Female orcas begin to mature at around

13968-507: The insects. Species on display include the clipper butterfly , blue morpho butterfly , atlas moth , zebra longwing , glasswing butterfly and postman butterfly . The exhibit also features a caterpillar hatchery and a pupa display cabinet, where visitors can witness different types of pupae and the development of new butterflies. The Bird Safari opened in 2005 as a redevelopment of the old stork and ostrich house, replacing enclosures that were outdated by modern zoo-keeping standards. It

14112-603: The liver of sharks. In one case a single orca was observed killing and eating a great white shark on its own. Orcas are sophisticated and effective predators of marine mammals . They are recorded to prey on other cetacean species, usually smaller dolphins and porpoises such as common dolphins , bottlenose dolphins , Pacific white-sided dolphins , dusky dolphins , harbour porpoises and Dall's porpoises . While hunting these species, orcas usually have to chase them to exhaustion. For highly social species, orca pods try to separate an individual from its group. Larger groups have

14256-442: The lower teeth when the mouth is closed. The firm middle and back teeth hold prey in place, while the front teeth are inclined slightly forward and outward to protect them from powerful jerking movements. Orcas have good eyesight above and below the water, excellent hearing, and a good sense of touch. They have exceptionally sophisticated echolocation abilities, detecting the location and characteristics of prey and other objects in

14400-612: The mid-1960s, Rufus Gibbs donated $ 100,000 for an extension to the Vancouver Aquarium (specifically for the creation of the Rufus Gibbs Hall of sport fishes). Officially Canada's first public aquarium, the Vancouver Aquarium has become the largest in Canada and one of the five largest in North America. The Vancouver Aquarium was the second aquarium in the world to capture and display an orca . Other whales and dolphins on display included belugas , narwhals and dolphins . In 1975,

14544-742: The most recent aquarium was built in 1921 next to and beneath the Mappin Terraces and was officially opened by King George V and his wife Queen Mary in April 1924. The collection in 1853 included 58 fish species and 200 invertebrate species. The aquarium was separated into three halls, each home to different types of fish and other aquatic wildlife. The first hall primarily contained freshwater species such as rudd and European eels , as well as some saltwater species involved in various conservation projects and captive-breeding programmes, such as broad sea fans , uarus and seahorses . The second hall displayed various species of coral reef fish from around

14688-583: The next few years." Although large variation in the ecological distinctiveness of different orca groups complicate simple differentiation into types, research off the west coast of North America has identified fish-eating "residents", mammal-eating "transients" and "offshores". Other populations have not been as well studied, although specialized fish and mammal eating orcas have been distinguished elsewhere. Mammal-eating orcas in different regions were long thought likely to be closely related, but genetic testing has refuted this hypothesis. A 2024 study supported

14832-565: The northeast Atlantic around the Norwegian coast, in the north Pacific along the Aleutian Islands , the Gulf of Alaska and in the Southern Ocean off much of the coast of Antarctica . They are considered "common" (0.20–0.40 individuals per 100 km ) in the eastern Pacific along the coasts of British Columbia , Washington and Oregon , in the North Atlantic Ocean around Iceland and

14976-729: The northwest Atlantic. Occasionally, orcas swim into freshwater rivers. They have been documented 100 mi (160 km) up the Columbia River in the United States. They have also been found in the Fraser River in Canada and the Horikawa River in Japan. Migration patterns are poorly understood. Each summer, the same individuals appear off the coasts of British Columbia and Washington. Despite decades of research, where these animals go for

15120-464: The program's website, a toll-free hotline, email, or through the logbook program. London Zoo London Zoo , previously known as ZSL London Zoo or London Zoological Gardens and sometimes called Regent's Park Zoo , is the world's oldest scientific zoo . It was opened in London on 27 April 1828, and was originally intended to be used as a collection for scientific study . In 1831 or 1832,

15264-598: The project and supervised the building of the first animal houses. The zoo opened in April 1828 to fellows of the Society, providing access to species such as Arabian oryx , greater kudus , orangutan and the now extinct quagga and thylacine . The Society was granted a royal charter in 1829 by King George IV , and in 1847 the zoo opened to the public to aid funding. It was believed that tropical animals could not survive outside in London's cold weather, so they were all kept indoors until 1902, when Peter Chalmers Mitchell

15408-544: The proper equipment or understanding to care for them. The dedicated London Aquarium , unconnected with ZSL, opened in 1997. The Zoo's smaller aquarium closed on 22 October 2019; some of the aquatic creatures were moved to a new aquarium at Whipsnade Zoo, while others were set to be housed in a new corals exhibit in the Tiny Giants building in 2020. Animal Adventure, formerly known as the Ambika Paul Children's Zoo,

15552-467: The public. Old Martin was a large grizzly bear , the first in Britain, moved to the zoo with many other animals from the Royal Menagerie, Tower of London when it was closed in 1832. The zoo was home to the only living quagga ever to be photographed before the species became extinct in the wild due to hunting in southern Africa in about 1870. Other now extinct species the zoo once held were

15696-422: The rest of the year remains unknown. Transient pods have been sighted from southern Alaska to central California. Worldwide population estimates are uncertain, but recent consensus suggests a minimum of 50,000 (2006). Local estimates include roughly 25,000 in the Antarctic, 8,500 in the tropical Pacific, 2,250–2,700 off the cooler northeast Pacific and 500–1,500 off Norway. Japan's Fisheries Agency estimated in

15840-532: The sea lions actually belong to the University of British Columbia , and are part of a research program aimed at studying the causes for the collapse of the Steller sea lion population in Alaska, while Bella Bella is housed at the aquarium after being rescued as a pup on McInnes Island in June 2017 and being deemed non-releasable. Amak and Kenai are half-siblings who were both born at Ocean Park Hong Kong in 2010 and lived at

15984-524: The second-heaviest brains among marine mammals (after sperm whales , which have the largest brain of any animal). Orcas have more gray matter and more cortical neurons than any mammal, including humans. They can be trained in captivity and are often described as intelligent, although defining and measuring "intelligence" is difficult in a species whose environment and behavioural strategies are very different from those of humans. Orcas imitate others, and seem to deliberately teach skills to their kin. Off

16128-472: The shows. They have also highlighted their research, rescue and rehabilitation efforts. The aquarium has played a significant role in the research of wild orcas in BC. John Ford, a respected researcher who focuses on orca vocalizations, worked there for many years. The Wild Killer Whale Adoption Program, which funds research was also run out of aquarium (now under Ocean Wise). After considerable public discussion and some opposition from an animal rights group,

16272-400: The size of the female's, with the male's fin more like an elongated isosceles triangle , whereas the female's is more curved. In the skull, adult males have longer lower jaws than females, as well as larger occipital crests . The snout is blunt and lacks the beak of other species. The orca's teeth are very strong, and its jaws exert a powerful grip; the upper teeth fall into the gaps between

16416-444: The social distancing requirements of being "COVID-safe" did not allow for the necessary visitor volume – ticket sales were down 80% and the not-for-profit was not able to cover costs. The organization stated that it would continue providing uninterrupted care to the resident animals while working on strategic planning; namely, how to operate in a way that would be financially sustainable in light of current conditions. On April 15, 2021,

16560-654: The souls of humans to merciless killers. Orcas, despite being dolphins, are commonly called "killer whales" due to a mistranslation of the Spanish "asesino de ballenas" (literally "whale killer"), reflecting their historical predation on whales. Since the 1960s, the use of "orca" instead of "killer whale" has steadily grown in common use. The genus name Orcinus means "of the kingdom of the dead", or "belonging to Orcus ". Ancient Romans originally used orca (pl. orcae ) for these animals, possibly borrowing Ancient Greek ὄρυξ ( óryx ), which referred (among other things) to

16704-404: The sound of exploding harpoons indicating the availability of prey to scavenge, and compressed air inflation of whale carcasses causing them to float, thus exposing them to scavenging. However, the devastation of great whale populations by unfettered whaling has possibly reduced their availability for orcas, and caused them to expand their consumption of smaller marine mammals, thus contributing to

16848-405: The south coast of Western Australia, including an estimated 18–22-meter (59–72 ft) individual. Large whales require much effort and coordination to kill and orcas often target calves. A hunt begins with a chase followed by a violent attack on the exhausted prey. Large whales often show signs of orca attack via tooth rake marks. Pods of female sperm whales sometimes protect themselves by forming

16992-546: The successful returning of a beached grey whale back to the water in 2005 and the rescue of Schoona, a lost green sea turtle near Prince Rupert, BC . In October 2013, rescued harbour porpoise Levi became the first cetacean to be rehabilitated at the Marine Mammal Rescue Centre and released back into the wild. Following the ownership transfer of the aquarium to Herschend in 2021, these initiatives are no longer affiliated with Vancouver Aquarium and remain with Ocean Wise Conservation Association. The B.C. Cetacean Sightings Network

17136-481: The surface and strike them with their tail flukes, while bottom-dwelling rays are cornered, pinned to the ground and taken to the surface. In other parts of the world, orcas have preyed on broadnose sevengill sharks , small whale sharks and even great white sharks . Competition between orcas and white sharks is probable in regions where their diets overlap. The arrival of orcas in an area can cause white sharks to flee and forage elsewhere. Orcas appear to target

17280-458: The surface, attracting sea gulls, and then eat the birds. Four others then learned to copy the behaviour. Day-to-day orca behaviour generally consists of foraging , travelling, resting and socializing. Orcas frequently engage in surface behaviour such as breaching (jumping completely out of the water) and tail-slapping. These activities may have a variety of purposes, such as courtship, communication, dislodging parasites , or play . Spyhopping

17424-483: The surrounding environment, but are also commonly heard during social interactions. Northeast Pacific resident groups tend to be much more vocal than transient groups in the same waters. Residents feed primarily on Chinook and chum salmon, which are insensitive to orca calls (inferred from the audiogram of Atlantic salmon). In contrast, the marine mammal prey of transients hear whale calls well and thus transients are typically silent. Vocal behaviour in these whales

17568-493: The three levels of government. (City of Vancouver, Province of British Columbia, Federal Government of Canada), it opened on June 15, 1956, with the ribbon being cut by federal Minister of Fisheries James Sinclair . Sinclair's daughter 7-year-old Margaret was also present at the ribbon cutting ceremony (she would later marry Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau and give birth to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ). In

17712-662: The war for safety. On 27 September 1940, high explosive bombs damaged the Rodent house, the Civet house, the gardener's office, the propagating sheds, the North Gate and the Zebra house. In January 1941, the Camel House was also hit, and the aquarium could not open until May 1943 due to extensive bombing. No animals were harmed during the incidents, although a zebra, a female ass, and her foal escaped from

17856-577: The water by emitting clicks and listening for echoes, as do other members of the dolphin family. The mean body temperature of the orca is 36 to 38 °C (97 to 100 °F). Like most marine mammals, orcas have a layer of insulating blubber ranging from 7.6 to 10 cm (3.0 to 3.9 in) thick beneath the skin. The pulse is about 60 heartbeats per minute when the orca is at the surface, dropping to 30 beats/min when submerged. An individual orca can often be identified from its dorsal fin and saddle patch. Variations such as nicks, scratches, and tears on

18000-505: The world, such as clownfish , copperband butterflyfish and regal tangs , as well as real coral. The third hall housed species native to the Amazon River , including red-bellied piranhas , angelfish , arapaimas and ocellate river stingrays . In addition to the three halls, the aquarium also featured the "Big Fish Tank". This tank housed large fish species that were all former pets. They had to be rescued because their owners did not have

18144-409: The world. This gallery is home to jellies , fish, and other animals. The 4D Theatre and the children's play area known as "Clownfish Cove" are here, along with multiple classrooms for school groups, including the wet lab education room, which contains both conventional teaching methods such as computers, tables, and chairs, along with live animals and various artifacts. The Vancouver Aquarium

18288-442: The zoo during the bombings. For safety reasons, all venomous animals were killed at London Zoo. Throughout the war, members of the armed forces paid half price for entry, and the wounded entered free of charge. In 1962, 'Caroline', an Arabian oryx, was lent to Phoenix Zoo , Arizona , US, in the world's first international co-operative breeding programme. Today, the zoo participates in breeding programmes for over 130 species. In

18432-458: The zoo from Jardin des Plantes in Paris. His name, possibly from Jambo , Swahili for hello , became an epithet for anything of large size, such as Boeing 's 747 Jumbo jet . Jumbo became a crowd favourite due to his size, and would give rides to children on his back, including those of Queen Victoria . The sale of Jumbo sent the citizens of London into a panic, and 100,000 schoolchildren wrote to

18576-418: The zoo to continue its work, attempt to balance its books and take on the huge task of restoring its buildings and creating environments more suitable for animal behaviour in the late 20th century. The BAFTA winning 1993 documentary series The Ark by Molly Dineen chronicled this period of time. One benefit of the 'swell of public support' was the development of volunteer staff. Volunteers who give one day

18720-442: The zoo's opening hours, including The Terrace, Penguin Beach, Ninos cove, Tiny Giants, Land of the Lions, Tiger Territory, and Attenborough Komodo Dragon House. The Snowdon Aviary was designed by Cedric Price , Frank Newby and Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon , built between 1962 and 1964, and opened in 1965. It was Britain's first public, walk-through aviary, and primarily housed shorebirds such as gulls and ibis. It

18864-522: The £3 tickets were not cannibalising demand for full-price tickets. However, they intended to maintain the £3 scheme if further funding became available. The director general of the Zoological Society of London described the result of the scheme as a "brilliant development", despite the queues and challenges. Throughout its history, the zoo has had many well-known residents. Those individuals could have been scientifically important or simply beloved by

19008-419: Was appointed secretary of the Society. He set about a major reorganisation of the buildings and enclosures of the zoo, bringing many of the animals out into the open, where many thrived. This was an idea inspired by Hamburg Zoo , and led to newer designs for many of the buildings. Mitchell also envisaged a new 600-acre (240 ha) park to the north of London, and in 1926 Hall Farm, near to Whipsnade village ,

19152-427: Was born in captivity, whereas Aurora was captured from the wild in waters near Churchill, Manitoba in 1990. Both belugas lived in the Canada's Arctic enclosure (Now Steller's Bay). On breeding loan to SeaWorld , Shedd Aquarium & Georgia Aquarium are the following: Past belugas: The Vancouver Aquarium used to house two Pacific harbour porpoise rescued by the aquarium's Marine Mammal Rescue Centre. Daisy

19296-509: Was bought. In 1931, Whipsnade Wild Animal Park, the world's first open zoological park, opened. The first woman to be a curator at London Zoo was Evelyn Cheesman , in 1920. After the start of the Second World War , the London Zoo was closed multiple times for over a week, the first time being at 11:00 am on 3 September 1939, when all zoological places were closed by government order. Valuable animals were transferred to Whipsnade Zoo during

19440-415: Was designed by architect Sir Hugh Casson between 1962 and 1965. The building was originally built to house rhinos and elephants . However, after an accident in which a keeper was killed in 2001, the animals were relocated to Whipsnade Zoo, and since then, the building has housed camels and porcupines . At one point, it was also part of Tiger Territory when it housed bearded pigs and Malayan tapirs . It

19584-639: Was established in 2009. It is a dedicated area for children, featuring playgrounds and a water fountain. It was built after a child who loved visiting the zoo with her family, Ambika Paul, died from cancer. Her parents donated £1,000,000 to the zoo to build a children's zoo in her honour. Many of the animals in Animal Adventure are domestic animals, such as llamas , alpacas , and goats , as well as kunekune pigs . Exotic species on display include Cape porcupines , South American coatis , and yellow mongooses . At approximately 6 am on Saturday, 23 December 2017,

19728-419: Was expected to begin in the fall of 2007. Vancouver Aquarium has not kept any orcas in captivity since 2001 and has pledged not to capture wild animals, but to instead rely on captive animals for breeding. On August 31, 2020, the Aquarium made public via a Facebook update that it would be temporarily pausing public programming after September 7. Despite the fact that the summer season was busy upon reopening,

19872-407: Was left without other orca companions, the aquarium attempted to acquire one or more female orcas from other marine parks. However, no suitable companions were found, and Bjossa was moved to SeaWorld , San Diego , in April 2001 where she later died due to a chronic respiratory illness. The aquarium has since moved to emphasize the educational aspects of the displays rather than the public spectacle of

20016-469: Was opened by Sir David Attenborough in July 2004. The zoo used to own two Komodo dragons, a female named Rinka and a male named Raja. Raja was filmed in his exhibit for an action sequence in the 2012 James Bond film Skyfall . A new male dragon called Ganas (one of the parthenogenic hatchlings from Chester Zoo ) moved to London in 2015 after the previous dragons died. Their enclosure is designed to resemble

20160-442: Was part of the zoo's appeal, it may also have been one of the main causes of its financial problems. This contributed to the zoo being faced with closure in the 1980s. Due to the public change of attitude to animals kept in captivity and unsuitably cramped space, the zoo also suffered dwindling visitor numbers. However, when it was announced that London Zoo would close in 1991, a swell of public support in visitors and donations allowed

20304-461: Was rescued from Gonzolez Beach, B.C. in 2008, and after receiving almost a year of veterinary care and being deemed nonreleasable, was transferred to the Vancouver Aquarium on July 29, 2009. Daisy died on June 16, 2017. Another Pacific harbour porpoise, Jack , was rescued from Horseshoe Bay, B.C. in September 2011 and transferred to the aquarium on March 15, 2012. Jack died in August 2016. The aquarium

20448-455: Was successful and was later extended to allow anyone who received certain benefits to buy tickets for £3, about a tenth of the full price, leading to visits by thousands of families, and long queues which were controlled by requiring pre-booking and capping numbers. Some visitors who were not receiving benefits complained about the crowds. As of February 2023 the Zoo was trying to ensure that

20592-616: Was the first hippopotamus to be seen in Europe since the Roman Empire and the first in England since prehistoric times. The hippo arrived at the London Zoo in May 1850 as a gift from the Ottoman Viceroy of Egypt in exchange for some greyhounds and deerhounds. Obaysch led to a doubling of the zoo's visitors that year. In 1865, Jumbo , the largest elephant known at the time, was transferred to

20736-427: Was the first aquarium to host a full time paid staff of interpreters. The Interpreter program began in 1967 and is now widely considered one of the most prestigious teams of its kind in the world. The Interpreter team delivers animal programs to over 2000 guests every day, 365 days a year. These programs include animal talks about; Sea Lions, Seals, Sea Otters, Jellyfish and a whole range of other fish species present at

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