Arctic Coast - Beluga Whale Exhibit

July 17th, 2012. Arctic Coast (Beluga Whale Exhibit) – This rocky, landscaped habitat features 4 beluga whales in a 750,000 gallon pool and a trio of 20-foot long underwater viewing windows. There are conifers in the background, a pile of logs at the shallow end of the exhibit, caves with bubble-shaped windows and a trio of pools in an area that covers an acre in size. There are many vantage points, including underwater viewing, and the pool and its white whales is obviously the star attraction of the entire aquarium.

Based on the large amount of zoos and aquariums you have visited, what do you think is the best Beluga exhibit on the continent? Vancouver? Shedd? Mystic? Or another one?

BeardsleyZooFan said:

Based on the large amount of zoos and aquariums you have visited, what do you think is the best Beluga exhibit on the continent? Vancouver? Shedd? Mystic? Or another one?

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Point Defiance used to have beluga whales but the exhibit was far too small, and now 5 harbour seals have a lucrative habitat to swim around in. San Diego SeaWorld has an incredible, visitor-friendly theme that is centred around a tank that does not have the best viewing areas. Georgia Aquarium has another interesting setup that is narrower than it needs to be and I feel a tad too small for the huge white whales.

Shedd has the magnificent Oceanarium complex with a tank that is yet again slightly too small for beluga whales (and all indoors). That leaves the clear #1 and #2 aquariums for beluga whales as Vancouver and Mystic. Both feature rocky outcrops in the background and a terrific setting, but Vancouver is slighty more immersive with towering conifers adjacent to the pool. Also, Vancouver has a million gallons for its belugas (a total that will actually increase in a few years) while Mystic is stuck at 750,000 gallons.