Vancouver Aquarium Vancouver Aquarium

Quartz92

Quartz92

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
I am going to B.C. later this summer and i just wanted to know if the Vancouver Aquarium is any good? Whats if like? and Is it worth the money to go?
 
Check out the thread "Shedd/Vancouver Aquarium", where I discuss the Vancouver Aquarium at length. I have visited the place at least 8 times, including earlier this year. I've posted a review of the establishment, and they currently have a baby beluga for visitors to gawk at. There is an $80 million construction plan that kicks in later this year, which will make the outdoor pools even larger. As it is the Vancouver Aquarium is ranked as the 5th largest aquarium in North America, and while it is quite good I found the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago to be much better.
 
Did'nt Qila have a calf in 2002 that died in 2006 named Tuvaq as well?
 
There are already 3 generations of belugas in the same pool, and by having another calf this summer it will certainly be interesting to hear about the interactions between the youngsters. Attendance will skyrocket as it always does with a newborn.
 
Aurora, a 20 year-old female beluga, is a grandmother and has now been pregnant three times. She gave birth to Qila in 1995 and to Tuvaq in 2002, but Tuvaq died at the age of three. Last June Aurora became a grandmother when Qila gave birth to Tiqa. There have been some successes, but at the same time 5 captive-born whales have died at the aquarium.
 
A redesigned website for Canada's largest aquarium:

vanaqua.org | vanaqua.org

A new baby beluga, to go along with the one-year old in the same tank. There are now 6 belugas at the aquarium:

It?s a new bouncing baby beluga girl! | visitvanaqua.org

Beginning July 7th there is a new 4-D theatre presentation included with the cost of admission: (Naturally the price to enter the aquarium was raised, and it is now $28 for an adult ticket)

Introducing the 4D Experience! | visitvanaqua.org

New behind-the-scenes tours for $20:

Marine Mammal Behind-the-Scenes Tour | visitvanaqua.org
 
The aquarium just received $500,000 as a grant towards an upgrade to the beluga whale area. The situation is becoming critical due to the fact that 2 belugas have been born in the past 13 months, and there are 4 of the whales in the main pool. Two more belugas (the only male and an older female) have been off-exhibit in a much smaller pool for quite a few months. The aquarium badly needs to construct a brand new beluga whale pool that is at least double in size to the current one, and the expansion plans that were in place before the economic recession are going to be studied once again.
 
For the 3rd time in the past 6 years a beluga whale calf has died at the aquarium, and in the past few days there have been yet more articles in Canadian newspapers about keeping cetaceans in captivity. Unfortunately the aquarium's recent track record makes it difficult to counter the anti-whale members of the public, but at the same time the aquarium is continuing with its plan to triple the size of the beluga whale pool by around late 2014.
 
snowleopard said:
For the 3rd time in the past 6 years a beluga whale calf has died at the aquarium, and in the past few days there have been yet more articles in Canadian newspapers about keeping cetaceans in captivity. Unfortunately the aquarium's recent track record makes it difficult to counter the anti-whale members of the public, but at the same time the aquarium is continuing with its plan to triple the size of the beluga whale pool by around late 2014.
Click to expand...

What are the babies dying of?

Do you think that public pressure will remove the belugas from the aquarium, or do they have enough support from the majority of the public to maintain the program?
 
One beluga died very young and suddenly without warning (no explanation given in the article), one from pebbles and coins ingested in its stomach, and the latest from pneumonia. There have been 5 belugas born at the aquarium and 2 have survived, although any opportunity for breeding has been halted because recently the lone male was sent away to SeaWorld San Antonio. Vancouver Aquarium plans to continue with construction on the beluga exhibit. Public support seems to still be there but it is undoubtedly on shaky ground, and the anti-cetacean attitude in B.C. in the 1990's forced the aquarium to give up its record of keeping orcas for 40 years.

Beluga dies from pneumonia at Vancouver Aquarium - Technology & Science - CBC News
 
I've noticed a trend in 2011, as Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle Aquarium and Vancouver Aquarium (all within 3 hours of each other) all debuted new websites this year.

New website:

Vancouver Aquarium :: Home
 
The aquarium will open a penguin exhibit this spring. There have been rumors online for the past 5 weeks, and I have no idea whether the exhibit will be temporary or permanent, but I asked around during my aquarium visit yesterday and May seems to be a possible opening date. There has been a lot of construction there lately (new entrance, new gift shop, west plaza near the belugas) as the aquarium will see nonstop progress during its two-year, $25 million revitilization.

Buzz: Vancouver Aquarium Getting Penguins | Vancity Buzz | Vancouver Blog
 
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