By Rachael Risby Raz | International Relations Manager
A few exciting changes planned in this new year at the Aquarium.
Firstly, Tank 33, the final tank on the circular route, which up until now has housed a school of red drum fish.
After two years of searching, we now have the stingrays: common, purple and cow-nose, which were part of the original zoological plan for this tank.
Following quarantine of the stingrays, a renovation of the tank and updating of the signs, the new exhibition will be opened to the public.
Secondly, the Dead Sea section on the Four Seas Gallery will be upgraded with the addition of a tank for the Dead Sea Tooth Carp - a unique species of killifish that lives in the freshwater springs, streams, pools and sinkholes of three fragmented areas near the Dead Sea in both Israel and Jordan.
It is found nowhere else in the world, and has been classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. The Aquarium will establish a breeding nucleus for this species to act as a backup or “ark” for the wild population given the fragile state of its habitat.
Thirdly, we have started planning an exciting new exhibit, which will be in the area of tanks 16-18 (the clownfish (nemo) area) of nocturnal splitfin flashlight fish.
Splitfin flashlight fish have bean-shaped organs beneath their eyes that host light-producing bacteria. The fish can turn this light on and off by blinking, sending Morse code-like signals into the deep abyss.
In order to accommodate these fish, we will need to build a tunnel or partition which will allow them to be viewed in the dark.
We look forward to reporting on the completion of these new projects during the year.
Have a healthy winter,
Rachael and the Aquarium Team
By Rachael Risby Raz | International Relations Manager
By Rachael Risby Raz | International Relations Manager
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