Birch Aquarium

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Birch Aquarium
Birch Aquarium logo.png
Birch Aquarium Entrance.JPG
Birch Aquarium
32°51′57″N117°15′2″W / 32.86583°N 117.25056°W / 32.86583; -117.25056
Date opened1903 [1]
Location Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California
No. of animals3,000+
No. of species380
Volume of largest tank70,000 U.S. gal (260,000 L) [2]
Annual visitors439,000+
Memberships AZA [3]
Website aquarium.ucsd.edu
Birch Aquarium Birch Aquarium

Birch Aquarium is a public aquarium in La Jolla, California. It serves as the public outreach center for the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego. [4] The aquarium houses more than 3,000 animals representing over 380 species. It has an annual attendance of more than 439,000. [5] The hilltop site provides views of La Jolla Shores and the Pacific Ocean. The aquarium is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

Contents

History

The original Scripps marine biological laboratory, 1910 Scripps marine biological laboratory, 1919.jpg
The original Scripps marine biological laboratory, 1910

The aquarium was established in 1903 after the Marine Biological Association of San Diego was created to conduct marine research in the local waters of the Pacific Ocean (its name was later changed to Scripps Institution of Oceanography to honor supporters Ellen Browning Scripps and E.W. Scripps, part of the Scripps family of newspaper pioneers). The founders built and maintained the small public aquarium and museum to communicate their discoveries to the world. [1]

The researchers outgrew their modest laboratory in the boathouse of the Hotel del Coronado and moved to a small laboratory at La Jolla Cove in 1905. Several years later, the association purchased 174 acres (70 ha) at La Jolla Shores for $1,000 at a public auction from the city of San Diego. The first permanent building at the new site, the Old Scripps Building, was constructed in 1910. Today it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. [1] [6]

In 1915, the first building devoted solely to an aquarium was built on the Scripps campus. The small, wooden structure contained 19 tanks ranging in size from 96 to 228 U.S. gallons (360 to 860 L). The oceanographic museum was located in a nearby building.

The Scripps Aquarium-Museum opened in 1951 and named to honor former institution director T. Wayland Vaughan, officially the Thomas Wayland Vaughan Aquarium. The three-story facility served the institution for more than 40 years. A ring of 18 tanks, the largest at 2,000 U.S. gallons (7,600 L), surrounded a central museum of glass exhibit cases displaying Scripps research projects. Within a month of its opening, visitors from all 48 states had signed the guest book. [1]

In 1985, the Stephen and Mary Birch Foundation started a fund-raising effort for a new aquarium by donating $6 million. JCJ Architecture of San Diego was selected as the design architect, [7] and in 1992, the current $14 million Birch Aquarium opened its doors, then known as Birch Aquarium at Scripps. UC San Diego donated the land. [1] Birch Aquarium celebrated its 20th anniversary in September 2012 by introducing a new visual identity.

There is currently a proposition to expand the aquarium and expand its facilities throughout 2028. [8]

Exhibits

At 64,157 square feet (5,960.4 m2), Birch Aquarium is designed around a central lobby with entrances to exhibit areas. Display tanks contain 175,000 U.S. gallons (660,000 L) of seawater. [ citation needed ]

70,000-U.S.-gallon (260,000 L) kelp tank Kelp tank (Birch Aquarium at Scripps, 2007).JPG
70,000-U.S.-gallon (260,000 L) kelp tank

Hall of Fishes

Hall of Fishes features more than 60 tanks of Pacific fishes and invertebrates. The path along the Hall of Fishes follows the currents of the North Pacific Gyre, starting with tanks inspired by the Pacific Northwest, then tanks with organisms from California, followed by tanks with organisms from Mexico and Baja California, ending with tanks inspired by the Indo-Pacific. [9] The largest habitat is a 70,000-U.S.-gallon (260,000 L) kelp forest tank. [2] The tank can be viewed live online through the Kelp Cam. [10]

ElasmoBeach

Just past the Boundless Energy courtyard, is ElasmoBeach. ElasmoBeach is a sandy bottomed outside tank based on the sea floor of La Jolla. [11] This tank features various sharks and rays, including leopard sharks and pacific angelsharks.

Tide-Pool Plaza at Birch Aquarium Tidepool Plaza at Birch Aquarium.JPG
Tide-Pool Plaza at Birch Aquarium

Tide-Pool Plaza

Tide-Pool Plaza features three living tide pools where visitors can touch and learn about tide-pool animals with docents. Windows in the habitats provide up-close views of starfish, hermit crabs, sea cucumbers, lobsters, and other animals local to San Diego's tide pools. [12] The tide pool overlooks La Jolla and the Pacific Ocean.

Seadragons & Seahorses

In this exhibit, Birch Aquarium promotes sea dragon conservation. In this exhibition you’ll find a multitude of fishes in the seadragon family such as seahorses, pipefish, sea dragons, etc. Birch Aquarium has focused on this species’ rehabilitation because of the impacts that climate change and poaching have on the ocean. [13]

The exhibit features more than a dozen seahorse species and their relatives, a special seahorse nursery, and hands-on activities for all ages about seahorse biology. Birch Aquarium is a world leader in seahorse propagation, reducing the need for other zoos and aquariums to collect from the wild. [14]

Oddities: Hidden Heroes of the Scripps Collections

This unique place in the aquarium is widely inspired by a comic-book designed exhibit that displays the odd qualities of the ocean and its species. In collaboration with the Scripps Oceanographic Collections, they uncover the superpowers of aquatic creatures, ranging from armor to supersight to electricity and the inspiration it's offered to cinema, medicine, engineering, and more. [15]

Beyster Family Little Blue Penguins

The Beyster Family Little Blue Penguins exhibit is named after the long-time supporters, Beyster Family, who generously gifted $1 million to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Birch Aquarium. This exhibit features little blue penguins that live in an 18,000 gallon penguin lagoon that imitates the coast of Australia and New Zealand where the little blues live. It also includes a small amphitheater that allows guests to observe the penguins, as well as a “discovery cove” for children to get a closer look at these penguins. [16] [17]

Boundless Energy

This is an outdoor playground that celebrates the innovative ways we can use natural forces to power our lives. Interactive stations explore ways to harness renewable energy from the sun, the wind, and ocean motion. Visitors can expend their own "boundless energy" at a play area for kids in which stationary bikes, hand cranks, and a seesaw powers a whimsical water sculpture. [18]

Awards and recognition

Related Research Articles

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Andreas Buchwald Rechnitzer was an American oceanographer. With Carl Hubbs, he discovered the striped yellow butterfly fish that served as the logo of the Birch Aquarium. He helped develop the first SCUBA diving training program for ocean scientists, which included such innovations as ditch-and-don, buddy breathing, and the buddy system. He was a member of the US Navy Office of Naval Research team that negotiated the purchase of the bathyscape Trieste, and was the scientist in charge of Project Nekton in 1960, during which the Trieste entered the Challenger Deep, the deepest surveyed point in the world's oceans. For this he received the Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Award. He joined the scientific staff of the Chief of Naval Operations, where he was the Oceanographer of the Navy from 1970 to 1984, and was the Senior Scientist at Science Applications International Corporation from 1985 to 1998.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "History". ucsd.edu. University of California at San Diego. Archived from the original on June 5, 2012. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
  2. 1 2 "Hall of Fishes". ucsd.edu. Birch Aquarium at Scripps. Archived from the original on April 20, 2012. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
  3. ↑ "Currently Accredited Zoos and Aquariums". aza.org. AZA . Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  4. ↑ "About Us". ucsd.edu. University of California at San Diego. Archived from the original on August 29, 2012. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
  5. ↑ Robbins, Gary (22 January 2016). "Aquarium to follow Scripps' global expeditions". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  6. ↑ "Old Scripps Building". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Retrieved 2008-07-10.
  7. ↑ "About". JCJ Architecture. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  8. ↑ "Current Projects". plandesignbuild.ucsd.edu. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  9. ↑ Birch Aquarium Exhibits. UCSD. 2017.
  10. ↑ "Kelp Cam — Live!". ucsd.edu. Birch Aquarium at Scripps. Archived from the original on May 21, 2012. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
  11. ↑ "ElasmoBeach". Birch Aquarium at Scripps. UCSD. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  12. ↑ "Tide Pool Display". ucsd.edu. Birch Aquarium at Scripps. Archived from the original on April 20, 2012. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Seadragons & Seahorses". Birch Aquarium at Scripps. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  14. ↑ "There's Something About Seahorses". ucsd.edu. Birch Aquarium at Scripps. Archived from the original on May 24, 2012. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
  15. ↑ Walsh, Nikki (2019-05-19). "Birch Aquarium's New Must-See Seadragons & Seahorses Exhibit". Tinybeans. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  16. ↑ "Beyster Family Little Blue Penguins". Birch Aquarium at Scripps. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  17. ↑ Coast News wire services (2022-07-12). "The Coast News Group". The Coast News Group. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  18. ↑ "Boundless Energy". ucsd.edu. Birch Aquarium at Scripps. Archived from the original on May 17, 2012. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
  19. 1 2 3 "All Winners of the 2012 San Diego A-List". Archived from the original on 2012-09-02. Retrieved 2012-09-05.
  20. ↑ "2011 10News.com A-List poll". cityvoter.com. KGTV. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
  21. ↑ "2008 10News.com A-List poll". cityvoter.com. KGTV. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
  22. ↑ "2009 10News.com A-List poll". cityvoter.com. KGTV. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
  23. ↑ "2010 10News.com A-List poll". cityvoter.com. KGTV. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
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