Welcome to Oceans
 Oceans is
an experience Zoo visitors will not want to miss. As the name implies, the
focus is those huge bodies of sea water that cover seven tenths of our
world, and which are collectively referred to as the oceans. In the Oceans
exhibit, visitors will see (and sometimes touch) a diverse collection of
animals of unusual shapes or brilliant colors that represent startling
skills and unusual lifestyles. Here visitors will find the inspiration
to ponder their personal relationship with the ocean planet – our Earth. Photo
by Jason Wright
Nation's Largest Shark Touch Pool
 The Firestone Gallery features the nation's largest shark touch pool. A
school of dog sharks provides a wonderful opportunity for visitors to have a
personal encounter with these mythic and misunderstood creatures of the
deep. The towering ceiling is festooned with colorful banners, while the
pool itself is surrounded by a wall just at the right height for kids to
observe the sharks. After their personal
encounters,
the little ones can dry their hands inside the jaws of a shark!
Photo by Gabi Moore
Penguins
When visitors reach the penguin exhibit, they will notice transparent
panel beneath their feet that allows them to see (and appreciate the speed)
of the penguins as they “fly” underwater from one side of the exhibit to the
other. The Zoo exhibits three species of penguins
— the large and
majestic
King penguins, medium-sized
gentoos, and the smaller
rockhoppers (the ones
with the yellow feathers on their heads).
Photo by Jason Wright
 Seahorses
First opened in 2004, this beautiful exhibit has been modified to fit
into the new Oceans theme and includes towering tanks of three species of
seahorses – the longsnout, pot-bellied, and lined. As before, this display
gives visitors an opportunity to see these fascinating, tiny and rarely
viewed creatures up close and tells the story of their unique lifestyles.
Photo by Don Reynolds
Aquariums
The Efroymson Gallery is home to a large tank occupied by cow-nosed rays,
as well as the reef exhibit, which features a whole group of eels, both
green and purplemouth
morays,
while
the tank next door features ephemeral
moon jellies
floating against the void
of a blackened sea. Guests will also see a series of focus tanks comprising
the Oceans Connections section of the exhibit, a gift of The Mike and Amy
Alley Charitable Fund of Legacy Fund. It features a rotating series of new
species, often ones that illustrate the unique relationships among the
oceans’ creatures. There may be clownfish hiding among the waving
tentacles of an anemone, or cleaner wrasse plucking parasites from a much
larger fish. Photo by Gabi Moore
 Environment
Throughout Oceans, visitors will see and experience some beautiful and
very informative interpretive signage detailing the relationship of animals
to their environments, humans to animals, and global warming to the oceans.
And, visitors have the opportunity to express their views through the unique
and interactive Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust Polling Stations.
Photo by Jason Wright
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