Oregon Coast Aquarium

Oregon Coast Aquarium
Oregon Coast Aquarium

Main building at the aquarium
Date opened 1992
Location Newport, Oregon
Land area 23 acres (9.3 ha)
Coordinates 44°37′04″N 124°02′50″W / 44.61784°N 124.04709°W / 44.61784; -124.04709Coordinates: 44°37′04″N 124°02′50″W / 44.61784°N 124.04709°W / 44.61784; -124.04709
Memberships AZA[1]
Website www.aquarium.org

The Oregon Coast Aquarium is an aquarium in Newport in the U.S. state of Oregon. Opened in 1992, the facility sits on 23 acres (9.3 ha) along Yaquina Bay near the Pacific Ocean. From January 1996 until September 9, 1998 when he was shipped to Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland this aquarium was home to Keiko, the orca who starred in the movie Free Willy. USA Today considers the Oregon Coast Aquarium world-class[2] and Coastal Living magazine ranks the it among the top ten aquariums in North America.[3]

Contents

History

Newport business leaders proposed building an aquarium beginning in the early 1980s.[4] These leaders proposed a $7 million facility in 1982 as a way to boost the local economy.[4] The group incorporated two-years later as a non-profit, and increased fund-raising efforts in 1987, collecting $11 million by 1991.[4] Plans to turn 23 acres (9.3 ha) along Yaquina Bay in Newport into a "world class" aquarium were finalized in 1990.[5]

Keiko at the aquarium in 1998

After early bids were rejected by the aquarium's board of directors,[6] Mountain States Construction was selected to build the first phase for about $12 million in August 1990.[5] Plans for the first phase included construction of a 40,000-square-foot (3,700 m2) building and four acres of outdoor exhibits, with completion expected in spring 1992.[5] Construction began in August 1990 on phase one, with two other phases expected to start three years and eight years later.[7]

On May 23, 1992, the Oregon Coast Aquarium opened with about 5,500 visitors the first day.[8] Those in attendance on the first day included Senator Mark O. Hatfield, Governor Barbara Roberts, and Congressmen Mike Kopetski and Les AuCoin.[8] When it opened, the theme of the aquarium was to follow a raindrop from the Oregon Coast Range all the way to the Pacific Ocean.[9][10]

On January 7, 1996, Keiko the killer whale arrived on a United Parcel Service C-130 cargo plane, with freight expenses donated by the company.[11] This move from Reino Aventura, an amusement park in Mexico City, came after fund raising by environmentalists and school children to build a $7.8 million habitat for the movie star in Oregon.[11][12] Keiko was moved to Iceland in 1998 in an attempt to return him to the wild.[13]

Exhibits

The acrylic tunnel

The Oregon Coast Aquarium's collection focuses on the flora and fauna native to the Oregon Coast. The aquarium is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.[14]

Main building

Exhibits in the main building include four permanent displays: Sandy Shores, Rocky Shores, Coastal Waters, and a changing exhibit area. The first features fish and invertebrates that live either close to shore or in bays such a Yaquina Bay. Progressing, the aquarium displays feature animals further offshore ending in a kelp forest and Sea jelly exhibit. Flanking the permanent displays are the changing exhibits.

Swampland is a current temporary exhibit features replicated South American swamps of the Pantanal, a Florida mangrove swamp, and a Southeastern U.S. cypress swamp. The exhibit explains the differences between these three types of swamps and the role of animals in these ecosystems. [15]

There are also exhibits focusing on small marine life in the area including jellyfish, and a tidepool exhibit in which visitors may touch sea stars and sea anemones.[16]

Temporary exhibits have included one called Claws that featured crabs, and Oddwater, which featured unusual sea creatures such as the green-blooded Cuttlefish, the jet-powered Chambered Nautilus, and the bright-eyed flashlight fish.

Passages of the Deep

The largest exhibit is "Passages of the Deep", in Keiko's former tank, it features walk-through acrylic tubes surrounded by deep water marine animals such as sharks, rays, and rockfish.[disambiguation needed ][17]

Passages of the Deep was created in Keiko's former home,and has three sections. Orford Reef contains mostly rockfish and other smaller Pacific-Northwest fish. Halibut Flats contains halibut, ling cod, a small ray, and other large fish, and includes a mock sunken ship. Open Waters is last section in the tunnel, and holds many species of sharks including seven gill sharks, as well as rays, yellowjack, and salmon. Throughout the Passages to the Deep exhibit is a collection of Gyotaku (Japanese "fish rubbing" art).

Seabird Aviary

The aviary at Oregon Coast Aquarium exhibits sea and shore birds. Those on display include the sea birds Tufted Puffin, Common Murre, Rhinoceros Auklet, Pigeon Guillemot, and the shore bird Black Oystercatcher. The seabird aviary includes two large pools and rocky cliffs.

Other outdoor exhibits

Outside the main building, beside the Aviary, are the outdoor mammal exhibits. They contain sea otters, seals, and sea lions. There were six of the California sea lions when the aquarium opened, but dwindled to four by 2010 when two new ones arrived from San Pedro, California.[18] The rocks in the outdoor exhibit are artificial rocks constructed of gunite.[19]

See also

References

  1. ^ "List of Accredited Zoos and Aquariums". aza.org. Association of Zoos and Aquariums. http://www.aza.org/current-accreditation-list/. Retrieved 7 November 2010. 
  2. ^ Joseph B. Frazier (May 6, 2008). "Oregon's coast is easy and affordable to see by car". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2008-05-06-oregon-coast_N.htm. Retrieved 2010-03-09. 
  3. ^ "Top 10 Aquariums". Coastal Living. http://www.coastalliving.com/travel/top-10/top-10-aquariums-00400000000285/. Retrieved 2010-03-09. 
  4. ^ a b c Welch, Bob (March 17, 1991). "Newport prepares to enter the ... Age of Aquarium". The Register-Guard (Guard Publishing): p. F1. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5HoVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3-sDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2675,4409587&dq=oregon-coast-aquarium&hl=en. Retrieved March 2, 2010. 
  5. ^ a b c Bacon, Larry (August 7, 1990). "Washington firm wins aquarium job". The Register-Guard (Guard Publishing): p. 2B. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-m8VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=meoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5892,1658790&dq=oregon-coast-aquarium&hl=en. Retrieved March 2, 2010. 
  6. ^ Bacon, Larry (April 19, 1990). "Bids to built Newport aquarium rejected as 'irregular'". The Register-Guard (Guard Publishing): p. C1. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=h3oVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=z-sDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1455,4404374&dq=oregon-coast-aquarium&hl=en. Retrieved March 2, 2010. [dead link]
  7. ^ "Construction begins". The Bulletin (Western Communications, Inc): p. B6. August 8, 1990. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EGEPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=toYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4616,6766712&dq=oregon-coast-aquarium&hl=en. Retrieved March 2, 2010. 
  8. ^ a b "Visitors call aquarium a great catch for coast". The Register-Guard. Associated Press (Guard Publishing): p. 1A. May 24, 1992. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dW8VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=j-oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2136,5771668&dq=oregon-coast-aquarium&hl=en. Retrieved March 2, 2010. 
  9. ^ Sefton, Nancy (May 31, 1992). "New Oregon Coast Aquarium Makes A Big Splash In Newport". The Seattle Times (The Seattle Times Company). http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19920531&slug=1494705. Retrieved March 2, 2010. 
  10. ^ "Travel Advisory; Aquariums, South and West". The New York Times (The New York Times Company): p. 53. April 26, 1992. http://www.nytimes.com/1992/04/26/travel/travel-advisory-aquariums-south-and-west.html?pagewanted=1. Retrieved March 2, 2010. 
  11. ^ a b Preston, Julia (January 8, 1996). "Willy Is Freed! Well, Moved, Anyway". The New York Times (The New York Times Company): p. 15. http://www.nytimes.com/1996/01/08/world/willy-is-freed-well-moved-anyway.html?pagewanted=all. Retrieved March 2, 2010. 
  12. ^ Stacy, Mitch; Kennedy, Kelli (February 27, 2010). "Shows to go on at SeaWorld, king of orca business". Associated Press. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i-Nfo7rvmJlftrEtFUik4u_tAS-wD9E4A1O00. Retrieved March 2, 2010. 
  13. ^ "Oregon Coast Aquarium eyes another orca project". Portland Business Journal (Advance Publications). March 4, 2002. http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2002/03/04/daily5.html. Retrieved March 2, 2010. 
  14. ^ Muldoon, Katy (July 20, 2010). "Zoo and aquarium inspectors scrutinize Oregon attractions". The Oregonian. http://www.oregonlive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2010/07/zoo_and_aquarium_inspectors_sc.html. Retrieved 20 December 2010. 
  15. ^ "Swampland". aquarium.org. Oregon Coast Aquarium. http://www.aquarium.org/exhibitsSwampland.asp?sid=2. Retrieved 7 November 2010. 
  16. ^ "Exhibits, Oregon Coast Aquarium Website". Oregon Coast Aquarium. http://www.aquarium.org/exhibits.asp?sid=2. Retrieved August 8, 2006. 
  17. ^ "Passages of the Deep, Oregon Coast Aquarium Website". Oregon Coast Aquarium. http://www.aquarium.org/exhibitsPassages.asp?sid=2. Retrieved August 8, 2006. 
  18. ^ Terry, Lynne (March 4, 2010). "Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport welcomes sea lion pups". The Oregonian. http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/03/oregon_coast_aquarium_in_newpo.html. Retrieved March 5, 2010. 
  19. ^ Bacon, Larry (December 28, 1991). "Aquarium making waves in Newport". The Register-Guard (Guard Publishing): p. C1. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9XIVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0OoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3345,6514525&hl=en. Retrieved March 2, 2010. 

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