Shedd Aquarium Shedd Aquarium
- Thread starter okapikpr
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More information regarding the $500 million "Centennial Commitment" project has been revealed. Nothing new in regards to the animal exhibits, but here are some details and renderings of how the the buildings exterior will be enhanced.
- New entrance plaza and ticketing area with automated security and an expedited ticket-scanning process.
- Revamping the green space around the building with new gardens focusing on native species.
- Renovations and repairs to two terraces including new eating and rest areas. This involves adding a lower level underneath the existing outdoor eating plaza.
- The additional space beneath will also house new animal habitats and critical husbandry support systems.
- A four-season glass pavilion over the existing Sick Family Lakeside Terrace, providing year-long access to unobscured views of Lake Michigan and the city skyline.
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Bengal Tiger
Well-Known Member
Any idea when this will happen?
I am a little surprised Stingray Touch isn't getting a more permanent overhang/ indoor exhibit considering it's a seasonal exhibit and they're pumping loads of money into the Aquarium over the next decade.
Probably over the course of the next five or so years.
Agreed. The stingrays need more love.
Bengal Tiger
Well-Known Member
Some news form my visit yesterday (got to see the freshwater exhibits, hopefully I can go one more time before construction starts):
1. There were exhibits being renovated in the great lakes area
2. They have at least one pregnant ember tetra (kind of a random tidbit
3. There is construction happening on a small part of Wild Reef
4. I think there were one or two exhibits being renovated in the freshwater areas, but I could easily be wrong
1. There were exhibits being renovated in the great lakes area
2. They have at least one pregnant ember tetra (kind of a random tidbit
3. There is construction happening on a small part of Wild Reef
4. I think there were one or two exhibits being renovated in the freshwater areas, but I could easily be wrong
Which areas for number 4?
Bengal Tiger
Well-Known Member
Apologies for not specifying, if I’m going to be specific I think it was either island and river or lakes (probably lakes, maybe one in islands and rivers)
Considering that's the gallery getting axed in a few months, it likely more of a removal than a renovation.
Bengal Tiger
Well-Known Member
I wa thinking that as well, but the signs say “construction”, so...Considering that's the gallery getting axed in a few months, it likely more of a removal than a renovation.
If this enclosure is the first one in the Islands and lakes gallery, right next to the western pond turtles, then it is the Madagascar enclosure that used to house chameleons, which has been closed since last summer. (Rivers is a separate adjacent gallery)
Bengal Tiger
Well-Known Member
Sorry, I mixed up the names of the galleries. I believe you are correct.
I am surprised we have not heard of any cetacean pregnancies at Shedd yet! Seems like they should be having some again! Anyone heard any news?
Bengal Tiger
Well-Known Member
I’m afraid not, though their beluga calf (about 1 1/2 years old) is doing well, I was able to se her on my visit.
Him*, it’s a male named Atlas, just fyi. Were you able to confirm no pregnancies by asking any of the keepers? It would make sense if a few of the beluga females were pregnant, Shedd has quite a few females and I’d hope at least one of them is pregnant and due this summer. We have no confirmed pregnancies in the US currently.
Some changes I noticed from my 3/18/22 visit:
Amazon rising
One of the signage pads in the first tank was removed, perhaps because it was clogging the main pathway.
Some of the dart frogs have been moved around.
Wild reef
Some shifted around species in the smaller tanks where the garden eels are. There was a pineapple fish in one of these tanks instead of in Seahorses and Pipefish.
Abbott Oceanarium
The Common Cuttlefish have been replaced with more appropriate tidepool fish. The species signed include Yellowtail rockfish, cabezon, tiger rockfish, striped surfperch, Rosy rockfish, copper rockfish, C-O sole, Painted greenling, Kelp greenling, Whitespotted greenling, pacific staghorn sculpin, and Red sea urchin. I only saw Tiger Rockfish, Rosy Rockfish, and rockfish ID
The Red Octopus tank near the submarine in the beluga underwater viewing had a sign saying that they were temporarily off exhibit.
There were Giant barnacles in the sea star tank near the submarine in the beluga underwater viewing area.
There was also either a new tank or one I simply missed next to the above water viewing for Otters, which was another tide pool enclosure that led to the dolphin pools and had singed Red abalone, Pacific blood star, Giant pacific sea cucumber, Leather sea star, Jeweled anemone, Sailfin sculpin, rainbow star, Graceful kelp crab, giant green anemone, painted anemone, Giant barnacle, Scalyhead sculpin, vermilion star, strawberry anemone, Grunt sculpin, spot shrimp, green sea urchin, Purple sea urchin, and giant plumose anemone.
Oceans
The ‘European Shores’ tank, which held Boarfish (Capros aper) and Cardinalfish (Apogon imberbis), has been replaced with a tank that had Painted greenling (Oxylebius pictus), Crevice kelpfish (Gibbonsia montereyensis), Red sea urchin (Mesocentrotus franciscanus), and jeweled anemone signed. I didn’t see any of these in the tank but I did see unsigned sea pens and a flounder.
Seahorses and Pipefish
The ‘Pineapple Fish tank’ appears to just have Lumpfish now, which were not here previously and were signed for the Bering sea tank.
At Home on the Great Lakes
Both the shallow pool enclosures at the end of the gallery (The Wood duck pool and small creek pool enclosures) were closed for renovation. The species included the following:
Creek pool tank small tank with submerged branches in a canyon (5 species): Warmouth, Shorthead redhorse sucker, Black crappie, Smallmouth buffalo, Golden redhorse sucker
Wood duck pool large, wide, shallow pool with space above for the ducks (9 species): Wood duck, American bullfrog, Yellow bullhead catfish, Hornyhead chub, Stonecat, White sucker, Creek chub, Central stoneroller, Bluegill
Islands and Lakes
I can confirm it is the former Chameleon/madagascar exhibit that @Bengal Tiger was referencing.
Amazon rising
One of the signage pads in the first tank was removed, perhaps because it was clogging the main pathway.
Some of the dart frogs have been moved around.
Wild reef
Some shifted around species in the smaller tanks where the garden eels are. There was a pineapple fish in one of these tanks instead of in Seahorses and Pipefish.
Abbott Oceanarium
The Common Cuttlefish have been replaced with more appropriate tidepool fish. The species signed include Yellowtail rockfish, cabezon, tiger rockfish, striped surfperch, Rosy rockfish, copper rockfish, C-O sole, Painted greenling, Kelp greenling, Whitespotted greenling, pacific staghorn sculpin, and Red sea urchin. I only saw Tiger Rockfish, Rosy Rockfish, and rockfish ID
The Red Octopus tank near the submarine in the beluga underwater viewing had a sign saying that they were temporarily off exhibit.
There were Giant barnacles in the sea star tank near the submarine in the beluga underwater viewing area.
There was also either a new tank or one I simply missed next to the above water viewing for Otters, which was another tide pool enclosure that led to the dolphin pools and had singed Red abalone, Pacific blood star, Giant pacific sea cucumber, Leather sea star, Jeweled anemone, Sailfin sculpin, rainbow star, Graceful kelp crab, giant green anemone, painted anemone, Giant barnacle, Scalyhead sculpin, vermilion star, strawberry anemone, Grunt sculpin, spot shrimp, green sea urchin, Purple sea urchin, and giant plumose anemone.
Oceans
The ‘European Shores’ tank, which held Boarfish (Capros aper) and Cardinalfish (Apogon imberbis), has been replaced with a tank that had Painted greenling (Oxylebius pictus), Crevice kelpfish (Gibbonsia montereyensis), Red sea urchin (Mesocentrotus franciscanus), and jeweled anemone signed. I didn’t see any of these in the tank but I did see unsigned sea pens and a flounder.
Seahorses and Pipefish
The ‘Pineapple Fish tank’ appears to just have Lumpfish now, which were not here previously and were signed for the Bering sea tank.
At Home on the Great Lakes
Both the shallow pool enclosures at the end of the gallery (The Wood duck pool and small creek pool enclosures) were closed for renovation. The species included the following:
Creek pool tank small tank with submerged branches in a canyon (5 species): Warmouth, Shorthead redhorse sucker, Black crappie, Smallmouth buffalo, Golden redhorse sucker
Wood duck pool large, wide, shallow pool with space above for the ducks (9 species): Wood duck, American bullfrog, Yellow bullhead catfish, Hornyhead chub, Stonecat, White sucker, Creek chub, Central stoneroller, Bluegill
Islands and Lakes
I can confirm it is the former Chameleon/madagascar exhibit that @Bengal Tiger was referencing.
Bengal Tiger
Well-Known Member
I forgot to mention that the electronic signage is extremely mixed up, and a bunch of herps have been swapped around, but signage has stayed the same.
Haven't seen this mentioned yet, but there is now an app called "Shedd Go" which gives what looks like a complete species list for on-display animals. Looks like the app is also integrated with QR codes around exhibits to give you a list for the habitats when you scan the code. Each animal has its location in the aquarium given and many even have range, size, diet, habitat, and a fun fact listed. Not every species has the most detailed information, but it seems like a pretty helpful guide.
On Wednesday one of the whales was receiving an ultrasound during my visit.
Don't get too excited! They do that routinely as part of their husbandry training. But fingers crossed, as they should have some pregnancies soon if they have been allowing breeding. Now we have to worry about the federal law being proposed. Ugh!