Zoos vs Aquariums vs "World-class"

[birdsandbats]

This is false. I am going to try to list as many aquariums with world-class exhibitry as possible.

Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
Osaka Aquarium
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Georgia Aquarium
Shedd Aquarium
Aquamarine Fukushina
Lisbon Aquarium
Acuario de Valencia
Two Oceans Aquarium
Numazu Deepsea Aquarium

And this is just within a quick timespan. I'm sure I can list more.

Do all of these really deserve that title? I've never heard of many of them, and while that doesn't inherently mean that aren't world class it does seem a bit suspicious.

Regardless, I raise you:

Omaha
Wroclaw
Innsbruck
Antwerp
Berlin
Toledo
Köln
Arnhem
Rotterdam

 

[Ebirah766]

Do all of these really deserve that title? I've never heard of many of them, and while that doesn't inherently mean that aren't world class it does seem a bit suspicious.

Regardless, I raise you:

Omaha
Wroclaw
Innsbruck
Antwerp
Berlin
Toledo
Köln
Arnhem
Rotterdam

I haven't heard of many of these either.

 

[birdsandbats]

I haven't heard of many of these either.

Then perhaps you shouldn't claim you know that aquariums have better aquatic exhibits.

 

[Great Argus]

Do all of these really deserve that title? I've never heard of many of them, and while that doesn't inherently mean that aren't world class it does seem a bit suspicious.

I suspect many of the Japanese ones they have listed are there more for the rarities they hold rather than being world class/having world class exhibits.

 

[birdsandbats]

I suspect many of the Japanese ones they have listed are there more for the rarities they hold rather than being world class/having world class exhibits.

That's what I suspected.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Took you long enough posting at ZOOchat to come to that conclusion...

Oh, he's said it several times over the years

Acuario de Valencia

I will charitably assume you meant Oceanogràfic de València and got the wrong collection when doing a hasty Google search for well-known aquariums when proving your point, rather than actually trying to claim that the Venezuelan collection you actually cited is one of the best aquariums in the world

Alternatively.....

I suspect many of the Japanese ones they have listed are there more for the rarities they hold rather than being world class/having world class exhibits.

This suggests that rather than citing Acuario de Valencia as a "world class collection" because he confused it with Oceanogràfic, it is possible that the reason is purely because it keeps Amazon River Dolphin

 

[aardvark250]

I suspect many of the Japanese ones they have listed are there more for the rarities they hold rather than being world class/having world class exhibits.

i would say 3/4 japanese aquarium Ebirah mention does have world class exhibits (okinawa and osaka definitely, fukushima i dont know as much but there are some really nice parts), Numazu he include clearly for the rarity.

 

[Ebirah766]

Oh, he's said it several times over the years



I will charitably assume you meant Oceanogràfic de València and got the wrong collection when doing a hasty Google search for well-known aquariums when proving your point, rather than actually trying to claim that the Venezuelan collection you actually cited is one of the best aquariums in the world

Alternatively.....



This suggests that rather than citing Acuario de Valencia as a "world class collection" because he confused it with Oceanogràfic, it is possible that the reason is purely because it keeps Amazon River Dolphin

So I didn't know the name. I hope I can be forgiven for that, and I did mean Oceanografic. Not the Venezuelan one.

i would say 3/4 japanese aquarium Ebirah mention does have world class exhibits (okinawa and osaka definitely, fukushima i dont know as much but there are some really nice parts), Numazu he include clearly for the rarity.

Fukushima is definitely world class on its own merits. I won't lie, having deep sea animals is far more impressive than anything any zoo can throw at me, and therefore I count it as world class.

 

[Chlidonias]

I won't lie, having deep sea animals is far more impressive than anything any zoo can throw at me, and therefore I count it as world class.

"World class" doesn't equate to "but I like that kind of animal it keeps".

If you just ignore what words actually mean then your opinion on it is going to be considered valueless.

 

[Great Argus]

Fukushima is definitely world class on its own merits. I won't lie, having deep sea animals is far more impressive than anything any zoo can throw at me, and therefore I count it as world class

Ah yes, because constantly replacing sick and stressed animals that die within hours to days is a world class situation. Some species do okay it is true, but I know you are well aware how many of the rarities in Japanese aquariums do not live very long. Terrible reason to call a place world class.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Some species do okay it is true, but I know you are well aware how many of the rarities in Japanese aquariums do not live very long.

For instance, the goblin sharks seen by @devilfish some time ago; put onshow the morning of his visit, one dead and the other dying by the time he reached the enclosure, both dead by the following day

 

[Ebirah766]

Ah yes, because constantly replacing sick and stressed animals that die within hours to days is a world class situation. Some species do okay it is true, but I know you are well aware how many of the rarities in Japanese aquariums do not live very long. Terrible reason to call a place world class.

This is only a small amount of "cases", a good amont deep sea animals live for longer than a few days. The ones that don't usually are bycatch and therefore are pretty much goners anyway.

 

[Great Argus]

This is only a small amount of "cases", a good amont deep sea animals live for longer than a few days. The ones that don't usually are bycatch and therefore are pretty much goners anyway.

Right, but stuff like isopods, spider crabs, snailfish, they do pretty well and are relatively manageable. All the real deep sea rarities do not last very long typically.
Additionally you're also admitting here that your "world class facilities" are taking in and displaying animals already doomed to die within a short timeframe. These animals literally die on display during public hours on a regular basis, and yet they do it over and over. They're basically just taking already suffering bycatch and tossing it in a display tank to see how long it lives.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

They're basically just taking already suffering bycatch and tossing it in a display tank to see how long it lives.

And getting lauded as "world class" beyond anything he believes possible at a mainstream zoological collection as a direct result of said mindless cruelty

Give me the aquatic offerings of Alpenzoo Innsbruck anyday - just as many rarities in an understated way, but with actual welfare standards and higher exhibit quality!

 

[Ebirah766]

Right, but stuff like isopods, spider crabs, snailfish, they do pretty well and are relatively manageable. All the real deep sea rarities do not last very long typically.
Additionally you're also admitting here that your "world class facilities" are taking in and displaying animals already doomed to die within a short timeframe. These animals literally die on display during public hours on a regular basis, and yet they do it over and over. They're basically just taking already suffering bycatch and tossing it in a display tank to see how long it lives.

What do you mean? There's plenty of "real rarities" at aquariums such as Okinawa and Osaka. Just look at the jobfish, deep sea hermit crabs, deep sea shrimp, deep reef fish, etc.

 

[Great Argus]

What do you mean? There's plenty of "real rarities" at aquariums such as Okinawa and Osaka. Just look at the jobfish, deep sea hermit crabs, deep sea shrimp, deep reef fish, etc.

Hang on now, you're expanding the playing field. I explicitly said deep sea rarities as that's what the last several posts have been discussing.

All the real deep sea rarities

Deep sea crustaceans have already been confirmed as typically more straightforward. Deep reef fish are not the same league as football fish and goblin sharks, the former can be kept in home aquaria (albeit usually at insane prices), the latter cannot. Most deep reef species can be kept just fine if they were handled decently and are placed in good conditions. Some of them have been captive bred even. Now I agree many of them are rare indeed, though plenty of aquariums keep/have kept the odd deep reef species. Since you've now broadened the playing field to suit your terms, what about the aquarium here in the states with numerous deepwater rarities? I assume it's world class too then.

 

[Ebirah766]

Hang on now, you're expanding the playing field. I explicitly said deep sea rarities as that's what the last several posts have been discussing.

Deep sea crustaceans have already been confirmed as typically more straightforward. Deep reef fish are not the same league as football fish and goblin sharks, the former can be kept in home aquaria (albeit usually at insane prices), the latter cannot. Most deep reef species can be kept just fine if they were handled decently and are placed in good conditions. Some of them have been captive bred even. Now I agree many of them are rare indeed, though plenty of aquariums keep/have kept the odd deep reef species. Since you've now broadened the playing field to suit your terms, what about the aquarium here in the states with numerous deepwater rarities? I assume it's world class too then.

Monterey Bay? Of course it's world-class, you'd have to be insane to not think that

 

[Zooplantman]

So.... a bunch of posts arguing over how "world class" this or that is but never a definition of "world class." Isn't it possible that the whole notion is a fantasy?
What is required to be "world class"?
Is there a limit to how many "world class" this-or-that there can be?
If an aquarium (or zoo) has 20% "world class" exhibits, is the facility "world class"?
When a facility is admitted into "world class" do they receive a special jersey?
If a facility was once "world class" when was it demoted? Does it have to repeat that grade?
When do "world class" facilities graduate? And where do they go from there?
If a person has real class they don't concern themselves with whether anything is "world class" or not

 

[ZooElephantMan]

When do "world class" facilities graduate? And where do they go from there?

When they graduate they become "galaxy class" or "universe class," maybe.

 

[Zooplantman]

When they graduate they become "galaxy class" or "universe class," maybe.

Good points but they can't skip "Star Class" before they move on. Well, unless they are very very special