The Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre is a public aquarium located in Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In addition to being a major tourist attraction for Vancouver, the aquarium is a centre for marine research, conservation and marine animal rehabilitation.
The aquarium is recognized for its displays and interpretations. The Vancouver Aquarium claims to be the first facility to incorporate professional naturalists into the galleries to interpret animal behaviours. However, naturalists James S. Bowerbank, Dr. E Lankester, Mr D. Mitchell and Philip Henry Gosse, the creator of the word aquarium, regularly held "open house" events at the world's first public aquarium at London Zoo Fish House at Regent's Park in the 19th century.
Aquarium research projects extend world-wide, and include marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation.
The aquarium is run by a self-supporting non-profit organization. The operation of the aquarium receives no government funding. The property is owned by the City of Vancouver and rented to the Aquarium for $40,000 a year since 1991 (prior to which $1 per year).
In October 2009 the Vancouver Aquarium was designated as a Coastal America Learning Center by the US Environmental Protection Agency. As the first Learning Center in Canada, this designation is intended to strengthen the Canadian/U.S. partnership for protecting and restoring shared ocean resources.
Aquarium history
The Vancouver Public Aquarium Association was formed in 1950 by UBC fisheries and oceanography professors Murray Newman, Carl Lietze and Wilbert Clemens. It opened on June 15 , 1956 after receiving the help of timber baron H.R. MacMillan, alderman and businessman George Cunningham and $100,000 from each of the three levels of government. (City of Vancouver, Province of British Columbia, Federal Government of Canada.)
Officially Canada's first public Aquarium, the Vancouver Aquarium has become the largest in Canada and one of the five largest in North America. The Vancouver Aquarium was the first aquarium in the world to capture and display an orca. Other whales and dolphins on display included belugas, narwhals and dolphins.
In 1975, the Vancouver Aquarium was the first aquarium accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The Aquarium is also accredited by the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA) and in 1987 was designated Canada's Pacific National Aquarium by the Canadian Federal Government.
On July 23 , 1995 , a beluga whale named Qila was born. She was the first beluga to be both conceived and born in a Canadian aquarium. A second calf, Tuvaq, was born on July 30 , 2002 , but died unexpectedly with no previous sign of illness on July 17 , 2005 .
In 1996, as part of an agreement with the Vancouver Parks Board and various animal rights groups, the Vancouver Aquarium decided to never again capture cetaceans from the wild for display purposes, and only obtain cetaceans from other facilities if they too were captured before 1996 or were injured, rescued, and deemed un-releasable after this date.
On June 15 , 2006 Canada Post issued a 51 cent domestic rate stamp to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Aquarium.
For many years, the primary attraction for visitors was the orca show. Indeed, the Aquarium was responsible for the first orca ever held alive in captivity, Moby Doll, for 3 months in 1964. Since then, it was home to Skana, Hyak II, Finna, Bjossa, and three of Bjossa's calves. When Finna died and Bjossa was left without other orca companions, the Aquarium attempted to acquire one or more female orcas from other marine parks. However, no suitable companions were found, and Bjossa was moved to SeaWorld, San Diego, in April 2001 where she later died due to a chronic repiratory illness. The Aquarium has since moved to emphasize the educational aspects of the displays rather than the public spectacle of the shows. They have also tried to highlight the research and rehabilitation efforts of the staff.
The aquarium has played a significant role in the ground-breaking wild killer whale research in BC. John Ford, a respected researcher who focuses on orca vocalizations, worked there for many years and they still fund a lot of the study. The Wild Killer Whale Adoption Program, which funds research, is also run out of the aquarium.
After considerable public discussion and some opposition from animal rights groups, the Vancouver Park Board voted in favour of a proposal to expand the Aquarium at a cost of $80 million, funded by the Aquarium, private donors, and infrastructure grants. A public consultation process showed 89% of local residents were in favour of the expansion. The proposal will increase the size of the Aquarium by 1.5 acres (6,100 m 2 ) and extend its lease by 20 years. Construction was expected to begin in the fall of 2007.
Aquarium facility
The aquarium covers approximately 9000 m² (100,000 ft²) and has a total 9.5 million litres (2.5 million gallons) of water in 166 aquatic displays. There are a number of different galleries:
- Pacific Canada Pavilion is the central indoor exhibit comprising a 260,000 litre tank. The exhibit highlights marine life from the Strait of Georgia.
- Arctic Canada includes the Beluga whales tank.
- The Wild Coast is an outdoor habitat that includes four Pacific White-sided Dolphins, harbour seals, Steller's Sea Lions, and sea otters.
- Treasures of the BC Coast is a series of separate exhibits that attempt to simulate the various environments with sea life found on the BC coast.
- Tropic Zone has a large display of tropical fish, including sharks and sea turtles.
- Amazon Rainforest a number of large fresh water fish, snakes, caimans, sloths and other creatures from the Amazon.
- Canaccord Exploration Gallery contains multiple classrooms for school groups, including a theatre and wet lab.
- Frogs Forever? Gallery is an exhibit focused on the plight of the world's frog population which endeavors to show how people can help protect frogs.
In July 2009, the Aquarium opened a 4D Theatre. '4D' describes a 3D viewing screen combined with in-theatre and in-seat effects such as water spray, wind, leg ticklers, bubbles, and seat vibrations.
Animals at the Aquarium
The Vancouver Aquarium is currently home to around 300 species of fish, almost 30,000 invertebrates, and 56 species of amphibians and reptiles. They also have around 60 mammals and birds.
Currently, the Aquarium houses three Pacific White-Sided Dolphins:
- Spinnaker is a 21 year old dolphin, and the only male dolphin at the Vancouver Aquarium. He was rescued off the shores of Japan in 1991 after becoming entangled in a fishing net. Deemed unreleasable due to the extent of his injuries, Spinnaker arrived at the Vancouver Aquarium in 2001 . He is identifiable through the fact that he has the most white on the dorsal fin.
- Hana is a 14 year old female dolphin at the Aquarium. She suffered a miscarriage on June 8 , 2006 and again on May 22 , 2007 . She came to the Aquarium with Helen from the Enoshima Aquarium in Japan in 2005 after being rescued from entanglement in a fishing net. She is identified through the fact that her dorsal fin is the most triangular of all the dolphins at the Aquarium.
- Helen is a 21 year old female dolphin at the Aquarium. She came to the Aquarium with Hana from the Enoshima Aquarium, and was also rescued from entanglement in a fishing net. Helen was part of a multi-year and multi-facility research project focusing on metabolic studies while she was at the Enoshima Aquarium, and is part of a pilot project to understand whale echolocation abilities to prevent whales in the future from becoming entangled in fishing nets. She is distinguishable by the fact that her pectoral flippers are partially amputated due to damage from her entanglement, and that her dorsal fin is the most hook shaped of the four.
Laverne was a 31 year old female dolphin at the Aquarium on loan from SeaWorld in San Antonio, Texas in exchange for Allua, a female beluga whale. Her large size in comparison with the other dolphins, especially her dorsal fin, helped identify her. She died Wednesday, May 20, 2009 at the Aquarium from a volvulus, or twisting of the bowels.
The Aquarium also houses six beluga whales:
- Kavna is the oldest beluga at the Aquarium; she is estimated to be around 40 years of age. She is distinguishable
Salmon, Halibut Fishing Charters,Ucluelet Vancouver Island Canada.
Salmon & Halbit Fishing Vancouver Island, British Columbia,Canada Fishing Charters, Sport Fishing, Fishing Ucluelet,
Saltwater Salmon Fishing Charters Vancouver BC Canada, Bonnie Lee ...
Bonnie Lee Fishing Charters, Enjoy the saltwater fishing adventure of your life on Vancouver's finest charter fishing boats, We offer trips to target all five species of Pacific ...
Choice Charters Port Renfrew, Vancouver Island, Canada
Salmon Fishing Charter on Vancouver Island, BC. Halibut fishing and River fishing for Steelhead. Experienced and Coast Guard Approved Captain, toilet on board. Bring yourself for a ...
Salmon, Halibut Fishing Charters,Ucluelet Vancouver Island.
Salmon & Halbit Fishing Vancouver Island, British Columbia,Canada Fishing Charters, Sport Fishing, Fishing Ucluelet,
Port Renfrew West Coast Salmon Halibut Fishing Charters Vancouver ...
West Coast Fishing Charters on Vancouver Island for Halibut Fishing, Salmon Fishing, Crab Fishing from Port Renfew BC British Columbia Canada
Reel Obsession Sport Fishing Charters - Vancouver Island BC Canada
Vancouver Island Fishing Charters for Salmon and halibut Zeballos, Nootka Sound and Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Fully guided world class sportsfishing.
Vancouver BC Salmon Fishing Charters - Bon Chovy Salmon Fishing ...
Offers guided salmon fishing in Vancouver, BC. Provides boat details and photos, charters and rates, description of fishing, and gallery of photos.
Vancouver Island Fishing Charters: Amazing Fishing in Port Renfrew ...
Jolly Rogers Fishing Charters, Vancouver Island’s best salmon and halibut fishing. Unforgettable fishing adventures on Swiftsure Bank, Port Renfrew, and in Victoria, BC
Boat Charters Salmon and Sports Fishing Vancouver Anglers Dream ...
Enjoy boat charters, salmon and sports fishing Vancouver onboard the Anglers Dream offering a spacious lounge, full galley and Transport Canada approved.
Vancouver Salmon Fishing Charters by Watermark, British Columbia ...
Watermark Salmon Fishing Charters offering guided salmon fishing trips and charters, including overnight, in and around Vancouver B.C. and Horseshoe bay.