"ENCHANTED SEAS" BRINGS MAGICAL CREATURES TO THE OREGON COAST AQUARIUM
Take a journey into the magical world of seahorses, sea dragons and other enchanted creatures. A bright new collection of ocean gems will delight your eyes in this special exhibit--seahorses hang onto seagrass with their prehensile tails (and their babies never fail to charm); dazzling tropical reef fishes flit among the coral; sea dragons make their stately way through their habitat, trailing frilly appendages. Baby American alligators will be swimming in a crawl-through tank where children experience up-close gaze-to-gator vision.
(PRWEB) May 4, 2002
Experience the magic of "Enchanted Seas" while taking a journey into the mystical world of seahorses, sea dragons and other magical sea creatures worth protecting. This bright new exhibit, opening Memorial Day weekend, displays a collection of ocean gems featuring seahorses hanging onto seagrass with their prehensile tails; a rainbow of tropical reef fishes-including wrasses, pipefish, and blennies-flitting among the coral; sea dragons trailing frilly appendages; cuttlefish hovering like blimps; and moray eels sneaking a peek from their coral reef caves.
Visitors who crave a bit of the familiar at the Oregon Coast Aquarium will still find sea nettles, moon jellies and other jewels of the sea included with "Enchanted Seas".
"This is another fine example of the Aquarium bringing our underwater world up close and personal to the visitor," Aquarium President Phyllis Bell notes. "You'll be able to see how these magical creatures protect themselves using clever disguises and colorful patterns, while learning steps you can take to help protect and preserve them."
Bell adds that the seahorses, sea dragons and tropical fishes in "Enchanted Seas" make a colorful addition to the 15,000 animals already at the Aquarium while underscoring an ongoing message of stewardship and conservation. "We'll provide visitors with information on worldwide conservation programs such as Project Seahorse and the Coral Reef Alliance, which are protecting their natural habitat and limiting harvesting." Seahorses, sea dragons, and many other popular fishes are becoming increasingly threatened by overfishing, loss of habitat, harvesting for home aquariums, eating and traditional Chinese medicines.
Species featured in the new "Enchanted Seas" exhibit include leafy and weedy sea dragons from Australia; spotted, dwarf, cape and northern seahorses; Pacific sea nettles as well as moon, cannonball, purple-striped, "cross" and red-eyed jellyfishes; and a host of tropical fishes, including cleaner wrasses; raccoon butterflyfishes; angelfishes; fangtooth blennies, striped eel catfish, harlequin tuskfish, sweetlips, squirrelfish, clownfish and hawkfish; and invertebrates such as carpet anemones and soft and hard corals.
Interesting fish facts at the "Enchanted Seas"exhibit:
[] Wrasses are all born female, with dominant adults turning into males.
[] Male seahorses and sea dragons carry the eggs, giving birth to dozens, sometimes hundreds, of babies.
[] Butterflyfish sport a large false eyespot and other camo-coloring on their back to confuse predators.
[] Angelfish use vibrant color patterns to camouflage themselves in the dappled light of coral reefs.
[]Clown sweetlips protect themselves as juveniles by mimicking a toxic flatworm.
[] Harlequin tuskfish turn their blue teeth to pink when stressed or to warn predators.
[] Soft and hard corals provide a virtual forested landscape on reefs and rocks, where many smaller marine animals live and eat.
[] Baby American alligators will be swimming in a crawl-through tank where children experience up-close gaze-to-gator vision.
Bell points out that the new "Enchanted Seas" exhibit will replace Jellies: Jewels of the Sea in the changing exhibit area of the Aquarium. Past changing exhibits include Discovery Bay, To See the Sea, Fatal Beauties, Forest Puzzles, FROGS! Clues to Survival, What About Whales, Seasons of the Salmon, Deep Sea Treasures, and Fossils, Fins & Fangs. She adds the "Enchanted Seas" exhibit opens Memorial Day weekend and is included with the price of admission.
The "Enchanted Seas" exhibit at the Oregon Coast Aquarium is made possible through the generous support of KYTE/KCRF, Charter Communications, Burger King, the Portland Fire WNBA, KMTR TV 16/Eugene, Spirit Mountain Community Fund, Sea Horse Oceanfront Lodging, Safeway, Factory Stores @ Lincoln City and TLC Federal Credit Union.
Located just south of Newport, the Oregon Coast Aquarium is named one of the top 10 aquariums in the nation by Parade magazine. Immerse yourself in Passages of the Deep and walk beneath the waves through a 200-foot clear underwater tunnel that snakes through three ocean habitats. Experience an exhilarating sensation when you look around and realize you're completely surrounded!
Outdoors, rugged cliffs, caves and pools showcase the many fascinating fish and invertebrates of Oregon's coastal shores. Discover curious seals, sea lions and sea otters. A giant Pacific octopus lurks in an undersea coastal cave, and cartoonlike tufted puffins and other seabirds make their homes in one of the largest walk-through aviaries in North America.
Indoors, take a peek "Under the Lily Pad" at the Ocean Exploration Station for an up-close view of frogs, newts and dragonflies as you discover the mysteries of pond life and explore the role these soggy spaces play in a healthy ecosystem. Visitors dip into the microscopic life of a pond community and see if they can identify the many creatures in the "duck soup" found in a pond ecosystem. Learn what's lurking beneath the pond's surface as you watch bass and bluegills, compare newts and salamanders and search for tree and red-legged frogs. You'll be ribbetted!
Oregon Coast Aquarium admission is $10.25 for adults, $9.25 for seniors (65+), and $6.25 for children (4-13), children three and under are free. Advance tickets can be purchased on-line at www. aquarium. org. Group rates are available when arranged in advance. The Aquarium is open every day except December 25. Hours are 10 a. m. to 5 p. m. up to Memorial Day weekend and from 9 a. m. to 6 p. m. from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.
For additional information about the Oregon Coast Aquarium, surf www. aquarium. org or call 541-867-FISH.
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Download link for seahorse image by Allen Blevins: http://www. aquarium. org/press/pictures/EnchantedSeasExhibitPictures/EnchantedSeasSeahorseGroupbyAllenBlevins. jpg (http://www. aquarium. org/press/pictures/EnchantedSeasExhibitPictures/EnchantedSeasSeahorseGroupbyAllenBlevins. jpg)
Download link for cuttlefish image by Allen Blevins: http://www. aquarium. org/press/pictures/EnchantedSeasExhibitPictures/CommonCuttlefishSwimming040102BbyAllenBlevins. jpg (http://www. aquarium. org/press/pictures/EnchantedSeasExhibitPictures/CommonCuttlefishSwimming040102BbyAllenBlevins. jpg)
