The Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Clearwater, Florida, has welcomed two new sea lions, Tuna and Wahoo, to their new ‘Pinniped Pier’ exhibit. The sea lions have been at the aquarium for just under three weeks and have already captured the hearts of staff and visitors.
The New Exhibit
The ‘Pinniped Pier’ exhibit was made possible through a $6 million grant from the Pinellas Tourism Development Council. The exhibit is designed to introduce the public to the sea lions and provide an immersive viewing experience.
According to Alysa Eddy, Senior Animal Care Specialist at the aquarium, the transition has been incredibly smooth. ‘They’ve been here for just under three weeks now and they have honestly blown me away in all the right ways,’ Eddy said.
Future Plans
The aquarium has plans to fully integrate the habitat by the summer and hopes to welcome more animals to the exhibit. Visitors can also look forward to an even more immersive viewing experience in the near future.
The aquarium is utilizing specialized mesh panels, which they refer to as ‘safety gates,’ to help the animals adjust. The goal is to lift these up during presentations to provide an unobstructed view of the sea lions.
The ‘Pinniped Pier’ exhibit is rooted in education and is designed to teach the local community and tourists about the importance of conservation and how mammals of both land and sea can harmoniously coexist.
Original reporting: Tampa Bay Florida News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
