Alaska SeaLife Center

The Alaska SeaLife Center is an aquarium located on the shores of Resurrection Bay in Seward in the U.S. state of Alaska. Open since May 1998, it is dedicated to understanding and maintaining the integrity of the marine ecosystem of Alaska through research, rehabilitation, conservation, and public education. It is the only facility in the world specifically dedicated to studying the northern marine environment and the only one designed at the outset to combine research with public education and visitor components.

Tours and programs at the Center introduce visitors to the wonders of the North Pacific. Whether connecting with an octopus arm to arm, embarking on a family boat adventure, greeting a puffin on a private tour, or celebrating a child’s birthday in a nurturing learning environment, the Alaska SeaLife Center is a place where visitors connect with ocean wildlife.

The Alaska SeaLife Center project cost $55 million; Exxon Valdez oil spill settlement funds made up the $37.5 million portion of funds dedicated to research and rehabilitation. An additional $12 million was raised by selling bonds, and $1.1 million was raised locally through private donations.

The center has a variety of collection animals, including Steller sea lions, harbor seals, marine birds, and many fish. In addition to public display, there is a large research component to the center.

The Alaska SeaLife Center Rescue and Rehabilitation department is another very important part of the center. Stranded marine animals including harbor, ringed, spotted and fur seals, Steller and California sea lions, walruses, sea otters, and birds from all over Alaska are brought to the center for medical treatment, rehabilitation, and ideally, release. In cases where the animals cannot be released, they are kept at the Alaska SeaLife Center or transferred to another facility.

External links

* [http://www.alaskasealife.org/ Alaska SeaLife Center web site]