Friday, May 17, 2013

Construction Update: The first animals return to the Giant Ocean Tank

This week marked a major step forward in the transformation of the Giant Ocean Tank. The animals are coming home! Carolina and Retread—two loggerhead sea turtles—were the very first of nearly 2,000 to make the move. Follow along on their journey from the temporary exhibit to their new home.



So, what has changed about the Giant Ocean Tank? The complex coral sculptures you see inside are completely new and will provide safe homes for more than twice the number of fishes that lived in the tank before. There are also new crystal-clear viewing windows. The top of the exhibit will reopen on July 1 with expanded presentation and exhibit spaces, a reflective ceiling dome and a ramp providing access for wheelchairs and strollers. Here's more about the scope and features of the project.

If turtles smiled, Carolina would be smiling now.

Moving the animals is one of the final stages in the Aquarium's top-to-bottom, 21st-century transformation. Over the coming weeks, aquarists will move the animals from the first level temporary exhibit to the big tank. There are even more animals behind the scenes that will be joining Carolina and Retread in this vibrant Caribbean coral reef community. All the animals will be in place and the renovation of surrounding exhibits will be completed by July 1.

3 comments:

  1. Yay, It's finally complete! Good work. What's the source of the water used in the GOT?

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    1. Thanks so much for your enthusiasm! The Giant Ocean Tank is not technically complete just yet. The divers are still adding more and more fish every day. The New Aquarium Experience, complete with additional exhibits at the top of the tank, starts July 1.

      The water that goes into the big tank comes from Boston Harbor. But you can imagine that it needs to be heated and filtered plenty before it looks and feels like tropical water. As you can see, it's now sparkling and clear!

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  2. When will the penguins return to their exhibit?

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