Difference between revisions of "Albuquerque Aquarium"
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− | |place_name1= | + | |place_name1=The main viewing tank |
− | |place_desc1=The | + | |place_desc1=This circular tank provides a 360 degree view of numerous colorful fish, |
− | |place_name2= | + | crabs, lobsters, rays, and even an octopus. This is a fantastic display, with |
− | | | + | everything from blue tangs, to massive schools of huge yellow and silver fish, |
− | | | + | to spiny lobsters. The majesty and mystery of the deep is never so obvious as |
− | | | + | when one is confronted with the rich variety of underwater life. A pictorial |
+ | guide to the fish species in this tank, handed out by volunteers, provides a | ||
+ | handy, convenient way to identify the various species of fish and other life | ||
+ | forms. | ||
+ | |place_name2=The tide pool exhibit | ||
+ | |place_desc2=The tide pool exhibit is a wonderful "hands-on" area where visitors of all | ||
+ | ages can get up close and personal with various sea creatures. Volunteers are | ||
+ | always available to explain the exhibits and answer questions, as well as make | ||
+ | sure no one gets carried away - literally! Visitors can pick up a crab, feel a | ||
+ | shell, touch a starfish, pet a bat ray, or just enjoy the beauty and stillness | ||
+ | of this little pool. | ||
+ | |place_name3=The Eel cave | ||
+ | |place_desc3=The eel cave is actually a large tunnel that visitors can walk through. The | ||
+ | tank covers both walls and continues overhead, the entire structure full of | ||
+ | various eels. Scary looking moray eels poke their heads out of holes in the | ||
+ | rocks, appearing and disappearing with a quiet grace. Electric eels provide | ||
+ | flashes of light in the darkness of the cave, while delicate glass eels | ||
+ | flicker past. A large display discusses the problems of commercial over- | ||
+ | fishing of eels. | ||
+ | |place_name4=The Seahorses and Seadragons exhibit | ||
+ | |place_desc4=This exhibit showcases the delicate and astounding seahorses and their cousins | ||
+ | from the coast of Australia, seadragons. Seahorses often moor themselves in | ||
+ | the water by curling their prehensile tails around seagrasses and coral | ||
+ | branches. Seadragons are similar to sea horses, but have leaf-like appendages | ||
+ | on their head and body and a tail that cannot be coiled up, making them look | ||
+ | very much like seaweed come to life. A large display explains the life cycle | ||
+ | of both types of creatures (it is actually the male of the species which gets | ||
+ | pregnant and gives birth) and a short film makes the viewer aware of the | ||
+ | dangers these wondrous animals face from over-fishing, pollution, and | ||
+ | unscrupulous collectors. | ||
+ | |place_name5=The Jellyfish exhibit | ||
+ | |place_desc5=A cylindrical tank contains hundreds of hauntingly beautiful, luminous | ||
+ | jellyfish. It's quite hypnotic to stand by the tank and watch them float up | ||
+ | and down, around and around. The exhibit includes two different categories of | ||
+ | jellyfish adding up to about a dozen species. Informative cards on the walls | ||
+ | point out the distinctive characteristics of each species, but in order to | ||
+ | fully understand the exhibit it is helpful to watch the 10-minute film which | ||
+ | showcases the behavior of these fascinating creatures. | ||
+ | |place_name6=The Shark tank | ||
+ | |place_desc6=A 285,000 gallon tankful of sharks patrol their saltwater domain as undisputed | ||
+ | monarchs. This room is equipped with carpeted bleacher-like seats to | ||
+ | accomodate the people who like to sit and watch these magnificent creatures | ||
+ | swimming around in their large tank. There are several types of shark -- nurse | ||
+ | sharks, sandtigers, bonnetheads and browns -- as well as barracudas and other | ||
+ | large fish. The view to the tank is floor to ceiling, wall to wall, and it's | ||
+ | possible to literally come "face to face" with a shark. | ||
+ | |place_name7=The Rio Grande Gift Shop | ||
+ | |place_desc7=Full of reasonably priced merchandise, the gift shop is a nice place to end | ||
+ | your visit to the Aquarium. There are some great t-shirts, puppets, stuffed | ||
+ | fish and sea animals, as well as toys and games that are all sea-related. For | ||
+ | those on a budget, buttons, pencils, and fridge magnets all make for a | ||
+ | low-cost souvenir. There are also books for all reading levels, from fun | ||
+ | children's pop-up books to college-level tomes on the history and ecology of | ||
+ | the Rio Grande. | ||
+ | |place_name8=The Shark Reef Cafe | ||
+ | |place_desc8=A full service restaurant open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Shark Reef | ||
+ | Cafe offers a variety of snacks as well as sit-down meals. The menu includes | ||
+ | seafood dinner specials along with kiddie fare such as hot dogs and burgers. | ||
+ | The Cafe is decorated with colorful seascape paintings throughout the spacious | ||
+ | room. Chairs and tables continue the sealife theme, their legs adorned with | ||
+ | molded starfish. In short, the Cafe offers up a great way to take a break | ||
+ | during a tour of the Aquarium. | ||
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− | |view_name1= | + | |view_name1=Shrimping boat |
− | |view_desc1= | + | |view_desc1=A real shrimping boat rests just outside at rear of the building. Children of |
− | + | all ages can climb on the boat and learn about a fisherman's life. A pond | |
− | + | nearby is the nesting place of a family of pelicans. | |
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Revision as of 13:54, 19 March 2013
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