Photo credit: Wikipedia
By: Caroline Ashburn, Guest Columnist
Ever wonder what it’s like behind the scenes at the Georgia Aquarium?
I got a look at just that last week! We looked at the water chemistry labs, filtration pipes and veterinary services. We even checked out few of the exhibits and some amazing animals not on display.
The first thing we saw was the water chemistry lab where people were checking important qualities in the water to make sure it mimics the ocean as much as possible.
We then saw the commissary, where all the meals were prepared for the animals. Every fish must be solid, unbroken, and clean. Otherwise, it will never find its way to an animal’s mouth or bucket.
One of the best parts was what we saw next – the penguin nursery! Four young African penguin chicks were waddling around and preening their brown baby feathers. Once they lose all of them, they will learn to swim in a pool on the other side of the nursery. Then, they will move out to the big world with all the other adult penguins.
After observing the penguin chicks, we saw the veterinary area, known here as the Correll Center, where animals could be transported for examination or surgery should the need arise.
The next stop on the tour took us to the topside of Ocean Voyager, where we had the opportunity to observe two unique things – manta ray training and feeding! On the far end of the 6.3 million gallon pool, animal care specialists lowered a stretcher into the water and guided one of the mantas in and out of it. This was likely for desensitization purposes, as this is how they are handled for any medical procedures or exams.
On the other side of the pool, Nandi, another manta, was being target fed. Animal care specialists put krill into a long pole that the rays are trained to follow. The krill is then poured directly into the manta’s mouth. In my eyes, it was amazing to see firsthand how animals such as manta rays can be trained.
Last, we went to the top of the Tropical Diver gallery, where the largest indoor reef habitat is. A large, long bucket fills every two minutes and automatically dumps water, creating waves across the top of the reef to simulate the ocean.
There was also a series of small pools where the aquarium is actually cultivating coral. It takes a long time to grow and may not be added to the main reef for quite a while, but it is an amazing project the aquarium is involved in.
Every measure imaginable is being taken to ensure top notch animal care. If you ever have the chance to take a Behind the Seas tour at the Georgia Aquarium, please consider doing so! The aquarium has a way of making you fall in love with it even more every time you visit, especially when it’s filled with new experiences!