Newport Aquarium Newport aquarium News

Small-clawed otters Pork Chop and Neda have left the aquarium. A "big announcement" is coming about their exhibit next month.
 
The exhibit that will be replacing the otters and Canyon Falls is.... Stingray Hideaway... A glorified stingray touch-tank. While I'm sure this exhibit will be wildly popular with the public, and I am glad that the otters have moved on from that lackluster exhibit, I can't say that this is the best use of the space...

Today Newport Aquarium announced, Stingray Hideaway: Enter their World; the only stingray experience of its kind in North America, will open in May. The highly interactive new exhibit will allow guests to discover one of the ocean’s most mysterious animals from above and below the water’s surface and even the opportunity to touch them.

“When Stingray Hideaway opens, it’s quickly going to become a guest favorite,” said Eric Rose, Newport Aquarium Executive Director. “Anytime our guests are able to experience what it feels like to touch an animal, a personal relationship is built that leads to a lifetime of love and respect for those animals.”

Stingray Hideaway is the biggest development at Newport Aquarium since Shark Bridge opened in 2015. When it opens this summer, the 6,000 square feet signature attraction’s soaring 40-feet high atrium ceiling will allow sunlight to filter down on the wide-open, expansive area of tropical habitats below. The project represents a major investment in the aquarium of over a million dollars.

Highlights of the new experience include a 17,000-gallon stingray touchpool where guests can interact with two dozen stingrays. Among the most innovative of elements, the touchpool will feature a 30-feet long tunnel where kids and adventurous adults will be able to see stingrays swimming from below the touchpool’s surface, effectively allowing them to enter the stingrays’ underwater world. Another special feature is a touch area for smaller children to get up close to several juvenile sharks at their level. Rounding out the experience, guests will be able to explore the tropical island habitat around the touchpool featuring land-dwelling creatures like iguanas and lizards.

The extensive project will transform the space previously occupied by Canyon Falls, which closed in December. Stingray Hideaway: Enter Their World will be open year around and will be included with general admission.
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Coming in 2017

In addition to this new exhibit, the aquarium has also announced a travelling touch-tank, in which they will be taking some of these stingrays out-and-about to schools, businesses, and the like, as many zoos do with their respective outreach programs and animal ambassadors. Given how sensitive these animals are, the idea of transporting them here, there, and everywhere only to be touched by hoards of people in a much smaller space with fewer places to escape, really brings into question some animal welfare concerns, in my opinion.
 
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When Hidden Treasures opened, I had no idea that it would be a running temporary attraction. The otters, lorikeets, and pythons together made it my favorite area to visit. Now that it's gone through many changes that have gotten rid of all of those, I'm sort of turned off and away from the aquarium itself.
 
What part of this is the "only if its kind in North America" part? The fact that you can see the rays from below? There are many tunnels through larger tanks, allowing the same view. However, I suppose they are correct on a technicality that now touch tanks have a below view.
 
2022 News:

On January 7th, the aquarium announced that (0.0.3) dwarf seahorses were born.

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On January 11th, the aquarium announced they acquired a (0.1) giant Pacific octopus named Ophelia in November 2021 which is now on exhibit.

Newport Aquarium - Baby Giant Pacific Octopus at Newport Aquarium | Facebook | By Newport Aquarium | Meet Ophelia - a baby Giant Pacific Octopus that arrived in late November. She only weighs about 4 pounds now, but will grow to 50-60 pounds as an adult!...

On February 22nd, the aquarium announced that they acquired (0.0.2+?) blue-spotted stingrays which are now on exhibit in Stingray Hideaway.

发现热门视频 | Facebook

On March 10th, the aquarium opened the Coral Reef Tunnel exhibit, which includes 50 species of fish, many of which are new to the facility.

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On March 22nd, the aquarium announced that (0.0.24) American alligators in Gator Alley were transferred to a facility in Florida.

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On April 25th, the aquarium announced that a (1.0) king penguin hatched in late February. He was later named Fozzie.

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Penguin Gender Reveal | What's cuter than a Penguin Gender Reveal Party? The lab test is back and we now know our ADORABLE fluffball King Penguin chick is a BOY and his name is... | By Newport Aquarium | Facebook

On May 10th, the aquarium announced that they renovated the diamondback terrapin exhibit.

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On May 12th, the aquarium announced they acquired (0.0.3) Orinoco crocodiles which are on exhibit in Gator Alley.

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On May 26th, the aquarium announced that they acquired (0.0.2+?) California horn sharks which are now on exhibit.

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On November 2nd, the aquarium announced they acquired (0.0.3) sand tiger sharks which are now on exhibit in the Surrounded by Sharks area.

New Sand Tiger Sharks arrive at Newport Aquarium | NEW SHARKS! WELCOME to the 3 new Sand Tiger Sharks making themselves at home by the Surrounded by Sharks Tunnel! With nearly 7 feet in length and big... | By Newport Aquarium | Facebook
 
On June 23rd, the aquarium announced they acquired a (0.1) giant Pacific octopus (later named Miss Kraken) which is now on exhibit.

Name the Giant Pacific Octopus | What has 8 arms and needs a name? The NEW #GiantPacificOctopus! She's at least 1 year old and weighs 4 pounds. The Animal Care Team says she loves shrimp... | By Newport Aquarium | Facebook
"Hello! My name is Miss Kraken!" Our... - Newport Aquarium

On August 11th, the aquarium announced that a (0.0.1) diamondback terrapin named Spotty hatched in July.

It's #FeelGoodFriday! This week Denver,... - Newport Aquarium
 
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