Georgia Aquarium Georgia Aquarium News

[African Grey]

I did notice that on the Georgia aquarium website, they removed the Silky Shark page from the Sharks! Predators of the Deep species list on the website and instead put them on the Ocean Voyager species list. I did see a video of the Silky Sharks in the new shark exhibit in one of the aquarium's preview videos. I wonder if this had to do with the aggression of the other shark species?

Also on the website the aquarium lists the schooling fish as False Pilchards

 

[geomorph]

I have just uploaded my photos of Sharks! Predators of the Deep in the Georgia Aquarium gallery. Here are a few highlights:

New Front Facade

• geomorph
• 9 Nov 2020

Taken 11/2/20. The main entrance and front facade of the aquarium have been rebuilt to...

New Front Facade

• geomorph
• 9 Nov 2020

Taken 11/2/20. The main entrance and front facade of the aquarium have been rebuilt to...

Sharks! - Entry from Lobby

• geomorph
• 9 Nov 2020
• 2

Taken 11/2/20. Sharks! Predators of the Deep is new for 2020. It is a 20-foot-deep habitat that...

Sharks! - Entry

• geomorph
• 9 Nov 2020

Taken 11/2/20. Sharks! Predators of the Deep is new for 2020. It is a 20-foot-deep habitat that...

Sharks! - 4th Viewing Area

• geomorph
• 9 Nov 2020
• 5

Taken 11/2/20. Sharks! Predators of the Deep is new for 2020. It is a 20-foot-deep habitat that...

Sharks! - 4th Viewing Area

• geomorph
• 9 Nov 2020

Taken 11/2/20. Sharks! Predators of the Deep is new for 2020. It is a 20-foot-deep habitat that...

Sharks! - 5th Viewing Area

• geomorph
• 9 Nov 2020

Taken 11/2/20. Sharks! Predators of the Deep is new for 2020. It is a 20-foot-deep habitat that...

Sharks! - 5th Viewing Area - Great Hammerhead

• geomorph
• 9 Nov 2020
• 2

Taken 11/2/20. Sharks! Predators of the Deep is new for 2020. It is a 20-foot-deep habitat that...

Sharks! - 7th Viewing Area - Sand Tiger Shark

• geomorph
• 9 Nov 2020

Taken 11/2/20. Sharks! Predators of the Deep is new for 2020. It is a 20-foot-deep habitat that...

 

[African Grey]

I was able to contact the Georgia Aquarium and they did confirm that they do now have Silky sharks. They moved them from the new shark exhibit, to the ocean voyager exhibit and are now on display there. They did not say why they had to move them.

 

[imaginarius]

I was able to contact the Georgia Aquarium and they did confirm that they do now have Silky sharks. They moved them from the new shark exhibit, to the ocean voyager exhibit and are now on display there. They did not say why they had to move them.

Ruh roh... sounds like the tigers got a little nippy! I’m not surprised.

 

[jpc323]

Ruh roh... sounds like the tigers got a little nippy! I’m not surprised.

That's quite common in the Gulf of Mexico. Thanks for the photos, geomorph!

 

[PSO]

@geomorph how many Tigers did you see?

 

[geomorph]

@geomorph how many Tigers did you see?

I believe I saw 3 at one time, hard to tell due to the size and limited visibility of the entire tank.

 

[imaginarius]

Maybe the photos are deceptive, but this turned out far less spectacular than I had hoped it would be. The viewing panels are small, the lighting isn’t great (even for a pelagic tank), and the plasterwork of the faux rock in the tank looks cheap. But I’ll have to see it in person before making a complete evaluation.

 

[Westcoastperson]

Maybe the photos are deceptive, but this turned out far less spectacular than I had hoped it would be. The viewing panels are small, the lighting isn’t great (even for a pelagic tank), and the plasterwork of the faux rock in the tank looks cheap. But I’ll have to see it in person before making a complete evaluation.

I agree I don't really like it either. I wish they had leaned into the original green and black lighting from the plans. But it's a pelagic exhibit, it's supposed to be dark blue with little rocks. Now, this could have been avoided as all sharks in the exhibit can be found in coastal coral reefs which would have looked better in my opinion. But they went for a pelagic style and they did a good job with it. But seriously the rocky coastal theme would have been so much better especially because it would have gone better with the zebra shark and stingray exhibit.

 

[dinosauria]

Unfortunately, Trixie the whale shark has passed.
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[Matt G]

Unfortunately, Trixie the whale shark has passed.
Log into Facebook

I feel very sorry for the loss of Trixie, @dinosauria .

 

[Loxodonta Cobra]

How many whale sharks does this leave Georgia Aquarium? And, out of curiosity, what do they plan to do if more of them were to sadly pass (I.E. replacement species or other plans)?

 

[dinosauria]

I think it's three whale sharks now.

 

[SharkFinatic]

How many whale sharks does this leave Georgia Aquarium? And, out of curiosity, what do they plan to do if more of them were to sadly pass (I.E. replacement species or other plans)?

Considering the Taiwanese fishery they acquired the whale sharks from is closed, I don’t see how they can more of them, especially considering the species’ endangered status could lead to some reluctance (from governments and other organizations) to take more from the wild.

 

[imaginarius]

They’ve stated in the past that the ones they have are all they’ll ever get, mostly due to the Whale Shark being upgraded to Endangered. And given that they live for 80+ years, that in theory would have been fine. But this is the third whale shark they’ve had that has died (all three were much younger than 80). I don’t think they quite know enough yet about the species to offer it the best possible life in captivity.

 

[SharkFinatic]

They’ve stated in the past that the ones they have are all they’ll ever get, mostly due to the Whale Shark being upgraded to Endangered. And given that they live for 80+ years, that in theory would have been fine. But this is the third whale shark they’ve had that has died (all three were much younger than 80). I don’t think they quite know enough yet about the species to offer it the best possible life in captivity.

But since the whale sharks are the aquarium’s star attractions, do you think they’ll still gain a sufficient amount of visitors once the last shark dies?

 

[imaginarius]

But since the whale sharks are the aquarium’s star attractions, do you think they’ll still gain a sufficient amount of visitors once the last shark dies?

Probably. They just added a brand-new exhibit with Tiger Sharks and Great Hammerheads, two flagship, exciting species found in very few other aquariums. If they lose all their Whale Sharks and cannot replace them, they’ll undoubtedly find another large, charismatic ocean denizen to replace them with for sure. Maybe Ocean Sunfish.

 

[SharkFinatic]

Probably. They just added a brand-new exhibit with Tiger Sharks and Great Hammerheads, two flagship, exciting species found in very few other aquariums. If they lose all their Whale Sharks and cannot replace them, they’ll undoubtedly find another large, charismatic ocean denizen to replace them with for sure. Maybe Ocean Sunfish.

True, but there’s no guarantee those two species will be permanent fixtures of the aquarium’s collection. Perhaps this goes to show that you shouldn’t base your zoo or aquarium’s appeal primarily on 1 animal.

 

[dinosauria]

Indeed. Also they both don't tend to draw as many people as a twenty-foot shark.

 

[imaginarius]

Well, in a worst-case scenario that leaves the Georgia Aquarium without any whale, tiger, or great hammerhead sharks in the future, they will still have giant oceanic manta rays, the only holder in North America. In fact, that was the primary draw for me when I first visited, not the whale sharks (although I love both). I’ve no doubt that they’ll figure something out if they have to.