The WAVE Foundation at Newport Aquarium Experiences What it Takes to Save Penguins

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By Katie Campbell, Conservation Education Manager at WAVE Foundation

This time one month ago, I was wearing oilskins covered in fish “smoothies” and chasing a penguin around a pool. It was a hot South African spring day, and Tamara and I both coveted being in the cool pool, even if the penguins left it a little dirty. Tamara Jasperse-Sjolander, Senior Biologist at Newport Aquarium, and I were on a two-and-a-half-week professional development experience at the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) in Cape Town, South Africa. 

It was my first time out of the country, and, brand new passport in hand, I was ready for a conservation adventure. Why were we there? Because WAVE Foundation supports conservation with both funding and action. I was doing “boots-on-the-ground” work to save penguins. Admittedly, we wore Crocs (non-slip!) more than boots. The penguins we were going to be working with were cute little chicks (so I thought) that had been orphaned, injured, or malnourished.  I am not sure what I expected, but this was not a help-a-little-and-feel-beneficent experience.

It was an intense learning experience. Day 1, we made fish smoothies, which smelled about as terrible as you imagine they would. Day 2, we learned how to securely hold penguin chicks and tube feed them.  Pick up a penguin (avoid the bitey parts), set it between your knees, pry open its beak, carefully slide a tube down it’s throat into the stomach, push the syringe of fish formula in, set the penguin back down.  Rinse and repeat times for 100 chicks, 6 times a day.  We also helped hold penguins for veterinary blood draws.

“To say we were exhausted was an understatement. 

But it was so incredibly worth it.”

Sometimes, when a penguin would bite, I would yell in my mind, “Don’t you know we are trying to help you?! Just cooperate!” But these were wild penguins, and they would do what they wanted. My favorite was #499, a little fluffy guy who would follow me around, calling for food.  He reminded me of Green Bean, a penguin at Newport Aquarium. To say we were exhausted was an understatement.  But it was so incredibly worth it.

Thinking about what was my favorite part of the trip, really it is two-fold.  Tamara and I got to work with the best people.  The staff and volunteers come from literally all over the world to a relatively tiny yet world-renowned facility, in order to save this species.  That in itself is powerful to see. The second half of this is the “so what.” I was greatly impacted by our visit to Boulders Beach, where we saw penguins in the wild.  They were hundreds of penguins gathered on the beach, some sitting on nests, others jumping in the waves, calling to each other. 

“We do what we do, and Newport Aquarium and WAVE Foundation do what they do, to save penguins.  It is so easy to get lost in the day-to-day tasks of looking at spreadsheets, returning calls, trying to stay on top of the inbox.  Boulders Beach and SANCCOB are our why.”

I pictured sweet #499 jumping in the waves, returned to the wild.  We want to bring awareness to these incredible animals, and to the incredible people who support them.  Our penguin colony at Newport Aquarium are truly ambassadors for their species, and I am honored to have a part of their story. 

You can help WAVE on their mission of conservation by donating here.

  • “Day 1, we made fish smoothies, which smelled about as terrible as you imagine they would. Day 2, we learned how to securely hold penguin chicks and tube feed them”
  • “The staff and volunteers come from literally all over the world to a relatively tiny yet world-renowned facility, in order to save this species.”
  • I was greatly impacted by our visit to Boulders Beach, where we saw penguins in the wild.
  • “They were hundreds of penguins gathered on the beach, some sitting on nests, others jumping in the waves, calling to each other. “
  • “My favorite was #499, a little fluffy guy who would follow me around, calling for food. “
  • “We want to bring awareness to these incredible animals, and to the incredible people who support them.”

National Zookeeper Appreciation Week

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By Newport Aquarium Biologist, Erin Muldoon

Every year, there is a week to recognize the hard work of zoo and aquarium professionals, National Zoo Keeper Week. Our Animal Care Team wants to take you along with them as they show you how they live out this year’s theme: Zookeeping takes improvisation, adaptability, and persistence! #NZKW2021 #ItTakesAZoo #KeepCalmZooKeepOn

Erin
Rob
Brittney
Margaret

No matter who you are, we all felt the challenges and changes that Covid brought to our world. But, animals don’t know or care about pandemics, so our Animal Care Team had to keep going no matter what. Biologist Rob said, “I’ve adapted to these turbulent times by continuing to push through with projects and tank renovations to benefit our animals and to give our guests the best experience possible”. Biologist Brittney added, “As a team, we had to improvise and adapt a lot during this pandemic in the way we had to care for our animals, but we’ve persisted through it all.” And Biologist Margaret said, “Even after we reopened the aquarium, our touch pool in Shore Gallery was closed for a little while. I was able to use that time to improve on exhibit design and acclimate new animals to the tank so they would have time to be comfortable and ready to go now that guests are able to interact with them again.”

Ali
Jaime
Katie

This last year saw a lot of new situations. Our newest Biologists not only had to face the challenges and “new normals” of the world, but had to learn their new roles in our Animal Care Department. Biologists Ali, Katie, and Jaime have not only adapted, they are thriving, and they help our animals live the best lives possible! In addition to some of their basic jobs, Biologists Ali and Katie have been given the task as our kitchen crew and work to prepare the food for every animal at the Aquarium. And Biologist Jaime has been tasked with the care of animals in our new exhibit Shipwreck: Realm of the Eels and has even begun working with the training of the eels.

Another newer face to our team is our Animal Care Coordinator, Sarah. She says, “I think the theme of Improvisation, Adaptability, and Persistence is important to the zookeeping field even in the best of times and this last year has made us all hone those skills in ways we probably never thought we’d have to. For me, it was being thrown into new, unexpected situations and learning on the fly and being able to keep calm and take everything one day at a time. It’s been a rough year but it’s certainly made me better at my job and it’s made us a stronger team.”

Erica
Michelle

Sometimes, the world doesn’t have to throw out a curve ball, the animals do, and the Biologists have to adapt and improvise. Biologist Erica says the Jellyfish love to keep her on her toes. “Jelly keeping is always being persistent because if you relax, animal health can start to decline almost immediately. I have to be able to find new solutions to their problems that work for them, even if it is harder for me. It’s all about keeping them happy!” The Stingrays in Stingray Hideaway love to throw Biologist Michelle new challenges, but she knows what to do. “I take some time to assess any new situation they give me and make the changes that the stingrays need. And, I’m happy to have a wide network of stingray keepers at many different aquariums that I can get any additional help from if I need it!”  Biologist Erin works with our alligators and says the ones that challenge her the most are the Bayou Babies. “Baby gators are crafty. They’re curious and love to explore and test their limits. Sometimes, they outsmart me, especially if it’s to get an extra snack!”.

Geneve
Tamara

Learning a new skill can take some time, and when you try to train an animal, it can be tricky. Fortunately, our Animal Care Team is patient and persistent when training a new skill. Like our Penguin Biologists, Tamara and Geneve, who are working with the cold weather birds to stand on a scale on their own. Picking up a bird can be stressful, but if they walk onto the scale themselves, it not only helps our team watch the health of our animals, it makes the experience good for the animals. It can be a slow process, especially getting that last toe on the scale correctly, but there is true celebration when it happens! To date, all but one of the cold weather penguins will voluntarily get on the scale!

Jen
Kristen

What do you do when you have to feed a bunch of top aquatic predators and need to make sure that they each get their fair share? You can ask our Shark Tank Biologists, Jen and Kristen! Whether it is figuring out a way to get a sleepy nurse shark to come up for her lunch or how to help the new Sandbar Sharks see where to go, Jen and Kristen use their knowledge and skills to help our big fish get what they need. Like when we wanted to show the Shark Rays how to hunt for shellfish on the bottom of the sea floor, Biologist Jen figured out a way to get the food down to them and kept working at it until the Shark Rays understood what to do. Or, when we needed to make sure that our large stingrays got only their food (and not their tank mate’s food), Biologist Kristen worked with them on target training.

Kelly

Our Biologists have the opportunity to work with some incredible animals, and a few are on the Endangered Species list. When those animals lay eggs or have young, it is an exciting time and gives new hope for the species. But sometimes, it takes a little patience and improvisation to find just the right situation for these animals to want to breed. Reptile Biologist, Kelly, has cracked the code for a few of these species this year. Under her care, a few animals classified as vulnerable have not only laid eggs, but have hatched! Animals like our new favorite baby turtle, Pumpkin, a diamondback terrapin now on exhibit in Gator Alley!

If you happen to see one of our Biologists this week, please give them a word of thanks for all of the hard work they’ve done for Newport Aquarium and the animals this year. And as our last word, here’s what Curator Kelly had to say: “This last year has required improvisation, adaptability, and persistence, and I’m so happy work with a team of Biologists who are dedicated and exhibit these traits no matter what is thrown at them!” #NZKW2021 #ItTakesAZoo #KeepCalmZooKeepOn

Newport Aquarium’s Epic New Exhibit Opens Friday

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NEWPORT, Ky. — Opening weekend for Shipwreck: Realm of the Eels launches this Friday morning, March 6, 2020. The immersive new exhibit invites guests to explore the ruins of a long-ago sunken ship scattered across the sea floor, now home to hundreds of animals including mysterious eels, brightly colored fish and curious creatures as they thrive in this accidental reef. ShipwreckRealmOfTheEels_Logo_FINAL

New Exhibit Ceremonial Christening
In a fun opening ceremony, the aquarium will be christening the ship with a unique twist on tradition. Guests can witness Newport Aquarium’s Executive Director Eric Rose commission the remains of the ship at 10:30 a.m. on Friday by breaking a bottle across the wreckage.

“Let’s face it, we have fun jobs at Newport Aquarium,” said Eric Rose, Executive Director. “Our team has been working for years to bring this amazing new environment to life for guests and animals to enjoy. It will be like nothing else at Newport Aquarium.” Shipwreck: Realm of the Eels is one of the biggest developments since Newport Aquarium opened in 1999 and represents over a million-dollar investment in the guest experience. Guests will find new animals and an extensively themed environment to explore including walking into the treasure tank and popping up into a tank surrounded by venomous fish.

Shipwreck: Realm of the Eels features five zones, each with its own unique ship elements and animals to discover:

Shipwreck: Realm of the Eels features five zones. Each area has its own unique ship elements and animals to discover.

Captain’s Quarters: Rising up from the sea floor, the mast of the ship and tattered sails flow high above the remains of the captain’s quarters. A group of majestic green moray eels reaching up to 5 feet long have made their home there as masters of the ship. Nearby, the ship’s wheel awaits your turn as a fun photo opportunity with the eels and other residents including spiny lobsters and hundreds of fish.

Treasure Chest: The ship’s treasure was lost to the sea but has been found by beautiful jewel colored fish who now make the treasure chest their home. Step into their luxurious reef to be surrounded by 270 degrees of beautiful sea life and gleaming gold coins, a perfect spot to take a photo among the real treasures of the sea.

The ship’s treasure was lost to the sea but has been found by beautiful jewel colored fish who now make the treasure chest their home.

Cargo Hold: Fascinating animals thrive among the barrels and crates that held the ship’s cargo. Batfish walk along the sea floor on their fins, dozens of garden eels pop up from the sand and flow with the current while strange and colorful frogfish imitate corals as they await the approach of their next meal.

 Ship’s Anchor: The ship’s anchor now plays anchor to a thriving community of fish and snowflake moray eels bearing white, black and yellow patterns that look like snowflakes. The eels share this safe spot with tangs, triggerfish, grouper and more.

Ropes and Rigging: Enter the ship’s wreckage and pop-up into a dome to be surrounded by the ropes and pulleys that once held everything together. They now form a forest of protection for the animals that call it home. Find venomous and beautiful lionfish with their long flowing fins, spiny scorpionfish and the blackedge moray eel with its long fin running the entire length of its body.

To learn more and purchase advance tickets, visit NewportAquarium.com or call 800-406-FISH (3474).

Happy Penguin Awareness Day

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Today we celebrate our adorable tuxedo-clad birds. Penguins get their special day every year on Penguin Awareness Day, on January 20 – not to be confused with World Penguin Day or African Penguin Awareness Day. There are six species of penguins here at Newport Aquarium. You might be surprised to hear that not all penguins love the snow and cold. In fact, about two-thirds of penguins are warm-weather birds. Newport Aquarium is home to five species of cold-weather penguins which live in Penguin Palooza. Kings, Gentoo, Macaroni, Southern Rockhopper and Chinstrap all love the snow. Guests can see these penguins swimming in Penguin Palooza and can get up close to watch their swift underwater movements as they glide right past the viewing window.penguin

Guests can watch penguins swimming underwater in Penguin Palooza. 

 

Another highlight of a visit to Newport Aquarium is the Penguin Sunrise. Take a seat and learn all about our cold weather penguin habitat housing several different penguin species.

Our warm-weather penguins, the African penguins are ambassadors for their species. African penguins are an endangered species. There has been a steady decline of the African penguins since the late 1950s when there were around 300,000 individuals in South Africa. In 2001, there were over 100,000 individuals and recently it has been estimated that there are less than 50,000 penguins left in their range country. Here at Newport Aquarium, guests have the opportunity to meet this species behind the scenes.IMG_6049

Many of our African penguins were hand-raised as chicks. Guests are invited to purchase a one-of-a-kind experience with these amazing birds through a Penguin Encounter. An Animal Experience Specialist shares an important conservation message about these birds in the Penguin House. Guests sit on a bench, and the penguins can waddle right up to you. You’re allowed to take pictures, and may even get to touch one.

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A portion of the sales for Penguin Encounters is donated to the WAVE Foundation for penguin conservation programs. Another one-of-a-kind opportunity is to purchase original penguin artwork from our in-house Picassos – our African penguins create masterpieces that can be ordered online or bought in Newport Aquarium’s gift shop. Speckles, Paula, Red Pepper, Green Bean, Sandy, Randi, Blueberry have all taken part in the penguin pitter platter spatter.   

 

 

 

Each original penguin art comes with a Certificate of Authenticity, an information sheet about the artists and a color photo of the artists in action! Painting is a form of enrichment for our penguins. Enrichment is about providing animals with stimulating and challenging environments, objects and activities. It aims to enhance their activity and provides mental stimulation for the penguins. Who wouldn’t have fun stomping and splattering in paint?

So, the next time you’re visiting Newport Aquarium, be sure to stop by and say ‘hi’ to these incredible birds – one of the most diverse collections of penguins in the country.

Experience Scuba Santa’s Water Wonderland at Newport Aquarium

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NEWPORT, Ky. — Newport Aquarium invites the public to experience one of Cincinnati’s most unique holiday traditions as Scuba Santa visits from November 29 to December 31. The jolly elf will be ready to hear your Christmas wishes while swimming underwater surrounded by sharks, stingrays and a curious sea turtle named Denver.

 

“A lot of our guests are surprised and delighted to learn they actually get to talk with Scuba Santa while he’s swimming underwater,” said Eric Kilpatrick, Newport Aquarium’s Elf Wrangler. “And through a little elf magic, he knows your child’s name by the time their turn comes to step up and share their holiday wishes.”

Guests will find the aquarium decked out in its holiday best as Scuba Santa’s Water Wonderland takes over. They can join the elves in a sing-along to their aquatic version of the 12 Days of Christmas and take in the colorful lights and decorations throughout. While waiting for Scuba Santa, they’ll also catch a flurry of magical bubbles filling the theater every 10 minutes.

“It warms my heart to see the kids playing and popping the bubbles,” said Scuba Santa. “You know, every time a bubble pops, someone’s wish comes true.”

The Bayou Babies will be celebrating their first Christmas.

Newport Aquarium’s two dozen new baby American alligators, affectionately known as The Bayou Babies, are also celebrating their first Christmas, complete with 24 tiny stockings for Scuba Santa to fill. See them explore their new home in Gator Alley right next to the rare white alligators Snowball and Snowflake.

New for 2019: An Evening With Scuba Santa: November 26 from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Newport Aquarium will be open extended hours as Scuba Santa swims in for the very first time this season. Enjoy free milk and cookies all included with General Admission or an Annual Pass. The first 500 Passholders will receive a special gift at the door, plus Passholders can bring their friends at a discounted price.

The Water Wonderland journey will take guests through a number of illuminated and holiday-clad galleries as they interact with the magic of an undersea holiday celebration:

  • Shark Ray Bay Theater – Join Scuba Santa’s elves in song and discover how some of Newport Aquarium’s most iconic animals celebrate holidays under the sea. Guests will have the unique opportunity to meet Scuba Santa as he dives inside the 385,000-gallon Surrounded by Sharks tank, and tell him their holiday wishes.
  • Seahorses: Unbridled Fun – Twinkling sea-creature lights hang from the ceiling over some of nature’s most amazing creatures, including pipefish, seahorses and our baby shark!
  • Stingray Hideaway – Visit the tropical oasis where Scuba Santa’s elves and reindeer have decorated with festive tropical decor. Plus, guests can interact with and touch two dozen stingrays in the 17,000-gallon stingray touchpool.
  • Gator Alley – Honky-tonk holiday lighting, music and decorations welcome guests to Gator Alley, home of Snowball and Snowflake, two of less than 100 rare white alligators in the world. Plus, it’s the new Bayou Babies’ first Christmas.
  • Penguin Palooza – Make a stop at Scuba Santa’s Post Office where you can write your holiday wish on a magic bubble and drop it in Scuba Santa’s mailbox. Plus, five species of cold-weather penguins – a total of nearly 50 birds spread their own brand of squawking, swimming and waddling holiday cheer.

* Scuba Santa will not be appearing on Christmas Day – he will be resting after a busy night traveling to homes all around the world.

Annual Pass Holiday Special: Through December 31, guests who purchase three Newport Aquarium Annual Passes will receive a fourth Annual Pass free. Annual Passes are valid for one year from the date of purchase, so guests can use them now to experience Scuba Santa’s Water Wonderland and into next year, including a VIP Passholder-only preview party for the opening of Shipwreck: Realm of the Eels in the spring.

For more information, visit NewportAquarium.com or call 800-406-FISH (3474).

Immersive New Shipwreck Exhibit Coming to Newport Aquarium

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NEWPORT, Ky. — Newport Aquarium announced today Shipwreck: Realm of the Eels, an extensive new exhibit that will be opening in spring 2020. Guests will discover the ruins of a long-ago sunken ship scattered across the sea floor, now home to hundreds of animals including mysterious eels, brightly colored fish and curious crustaceans as they thrive in this accidental reef.

 

Shipwreck: Realm of the Eels will be one of the biggest developments since Newport Aquarium opened in 1999 and represents over a million-dollar investment in the guest experience. It will fully transform the 20-year-old space previously known as Dangerous & Deadly into an open and immersive environment for guests to explore.

“We’re always listening to our guests to figure out what new adventures they want in their next visit,” said Newport Aquarium Executive Director, Eric Rose. “To be able to create an artificial reef teeming with ocean life, thriving in a sunken ship is really going to wow them. But it’s not just the fun of this environment that we get excited about, it’s also the chance to teach visitors about the value of artificial reefs and ocean conservation.”

Shipwreck: Realm of the Eels will feature five zones, each with its own unique ship elements and animals to discover:

Captain’s Quarters: Rising up from the sea floor, the mast of the ship and tattered sails flow high above the remains of the captain’s quarters. A group of majestic green moray eels reaching up to 5 feet long have made their home there as masters of the ship. Nearby, the ship’s wheel awaits your turn as a fun photo opportunity with the eels and other residents including spiny lobsters and hundreds of fish.

The Treasure Chest is the perfect photo opportunity.

Treasure Chest: The ship’s treasure was lost to the sea but has been found by beautiful jewel colored fish who now make the treasure chest their home. Step into their luxurious reef to be surrounded by 270 degrees of beautiful sea life and gleaming gold coins, a perfect spot to take a photo among the real treasures of the sea.

Cargo Hold: Fascinating animals thrive among the barrels and crates that held the ship’s cargo. Flamboyant cuttlefish with tentacles, undulating fins and mesmerizing color-changing camouflage scuttle about. Dozens of garden eels pop up from the sand and flow with the current while strange and colorful frogfish imitate corals as they await the approach of their next meal.

Ship’s Anchor: The ship’s anchor now plays anchor to a thriving community of fish. The chain moray eel runs the roost with its impressive black body covered in yellow chain-like rings. It shares this safe spot with tangs, triggerfish, grouper and more.

Ropes and Rigging: Enter the ship’s wreckage and pop-up into a dome to be surrounded by the ropes and pulleys that once held everything together. They now form a forest of protection for the animals that call it home. Find venomous and beautiful lionfish with their long flowing fins, scorpionfish with their venomous spines and the purplemouth eel with its long fin running the entire length of its body.

Annual Pass Deal:
From November 1 to December 31, 2019 Newport Aquarium is offering Annual Passes on a “Buy 3, Get 1 Free” sale. Annual Passes are valid for one year from the date of purchase, so guests can use them now to experience Scuba Santa’s Water Wonderland and into next year, including a VIP Passholder-only preview party for the opening of Shipwreck: Realm of the Eels in the spring.

To learn more, visit NewportAquarium.com or call 800-406-FISH (3474).

 

Newport Aquarium Welcomes Two Dozen Baby Alligators

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NEWPORT, Ky. — Newport Aquarium announced today the addition of two dozen adorable baby alligators to the popular Gator Alley collection of exhibits.  Guests will have the opportunity to see baby alligators swimming in the bayou and basking on its banks. The aquarium is celebrating their growing family with a Bayou Baby BOGO offer. Through November 3rd, buy one general admission ticket and get one of equal or lesser value for free.

Just in time for the cool, brisk weather, guests can watch the hatchlings explore their new home, which replicates a cypress swamp like those found in Florida and Louisiana. Alligators thrive in the warm, humid temperatures of the bayou, so this new home is a perfect nursery for the Bayou Babies. “Seeing a group of baby gators in the wild is exciting but can be rare. They have a lot of natural predators, so they are excellently camouflaged,” said Newport Aquarium General Curator, Kelly Sowers. “It’s so special that guests get to see the babies up close and watch them grow up at Newport Aquarium.”

The hatchlings are about one month old and only six inches long. Baby alligators grow about a foot a year during their first few years. They can grow to be as big as or bigger than Snowball and Snowflake, the aquarium’s rare white alligators. Our dedicated Animal Care Team is overseeing the hatchlings and monitoring their weights, measurements and food intake. As the Bayou Babies are acclimating, they’re slowly being introduced to their larger exhibit where they’ll swim under guests’ feet as they cross over a clear floor. But first, they’re spending time in a “baby pool” on the bayou’s beach and dock area. “What’s especially cute is to see the baby gators perched up on the rocks in the baby pool when they’re being fed by a member of the Animal Care Team,” said Sowers.

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The American alligator was brought back from the brink of extinction in the 1980s. It is an endangered species success story so these baby alligators are important ambassadors for education and learning. “Their story should help us all appreciate these amazing and important animals today. They can teach us a huge lesson in how to protect other species that are in danger of going extinct,” said Sowers. 

Buy One Get One FREE

See the Bayou Babies now during the Bayou Baby BOGO where you can buy one admission and get one admission of equal or lesser value for free. This offer is available through November 3rd with advance purchase online at Newport Aquarium.com.

Mermaids Arrive at Newport Aquarium

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Mermaids are swimming into Newport Aquarium, enchanting guests September 28 through October 14. Guests will get to explore Mermaid Cove, where a mermaid can swim right up and meet them along with their stingray friends. With this new addition, guests will now have three opportunities to see and interact with mermaids throughout Newport Aquarium. Add a couple of pirates, and it’s a swashbuckling good time!

The magical mermaid experience begins in Shark Ray Bay Theater where Newport Aquarium guests will be greeted by a mermaid while she’s sitting on her throne. It’s the perfect photo op, while ocean friends like Denver the sea turtle, Sweet Pea the shark ray and the sand tiger sharks all swim nearby beyond the giant underwater window.

Mermaid Kailua is from the Kona Coast of Hawaii. Where she spent her days swimming along the reefs cleaning invasive algae and cleaning up debris from the human world.

Next stop on the journey to find mermaids is the tropical habitat of the Coral Reef. Visitors will be mesmerized when they see a real-life mermaid swimming gracefully underwater, alongside her tropical fish friends in the 30-foot long, 60,000-gallon Coral Reef Tunnel.

New for 2019 – The mermaids have taken over Stingray Hideaway, and transformed the tropical locale into Mermaid Cove. This unique new interaction allows the mermaid to swim with her stingray friends, show off her glorious tail and talk to guests while they touch the stingrays. With the mermaids visiting from different parts of the world, it’s the perfect spot for them to tell their new friends all about their adventures and how important ocean conservation is for them and all sea life.

“Newport Aquarium’s mermaids are a magical tradition that families look forward to every year,”    said Eric Rose, Executive Director at Newport Aquarium. “Sometimes we forget the magic in our world but when you see the look on a child’s face when they meet a mermaid, it’s undeniable.”

Daily mermaid appearances are included with regular admission, and guests can visit NewportAquarium.com for more information.

Mermaid and Pirate Breakfasts
An add-on experience this year is the Mermaids and Pirates Breakfast on Sept. 9, Oct. 6 and 13 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Get exclusive access to meet a mermaid and pirate while dining in Newport Aquarium’s Riverside Room with beautiful views of the Cincinnati Skyline and Ohio River. As a bonus, each child will receive a magical piece of treasure to take home during the meet & greet. After breakfast, guests will be invited into the aquarium before it opens to be among the first to see the mermaids swim.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit NewportAquarium.com or call 800-406-FISH (3474).

 

 

National Zoo Keeper Week 2019

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This week is National Zoo Keeper Week. Our Biologists may not have the official title of “Zookeeper,” but they do give exemplary care to the animals that live here at Newport Aquarium. Here’s a brief glimpse into what they do behind the scenes!

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Newport Aquarium has thirteen biologists that care for all of the fish, reptiles, amphibians, and penguins that have their home here. Care for these animals is more than just simply feeding and giving the animals some attention. They also have a lot of food preparation, cleaning, and maintenance work to do!

All of our seafood and produce is restaurant-quality and prepared with great care by our team.

Food preparation for the animals is a major part of the day. The animals at Newport Aquarium have very specific diets, and it is the job of our biologists to make sure they get the exact food they need. A lot of research is done to ensure that we are getting the right food items and nutrients to each animal. If you step into our animal kitchen in the morning, you may see a variety of fish, shrimp, salads, and bugs. If the Sharkrays are eating, you may even see whole Lobster! All of our seafood and produce is restaurant-quality and prepared with great care by our team.

Senior Biologist Jen, feeding Denver, our adult loggerhead sea turtle at his station. Denver is about 24 years old and weighs about 205 pounds! His favorite foods include fish, squid and salmon which he eats regularly, about 3-5 days a week.

Training is an important part of the care of many of our animals here at Newport Aquarium. Animals like the white alligators and our sharkrays are Target Trained. This means that they know to come to a target pole to get their food. Denver the loggerhead sea turtle and some of our stingrays are Station Trained. This means that the animals know to come to a specific location when asked to. This helps the biologists safely work with these animals and ensures that every one of them gets the food and care they need.

Biologist Kelly target training our Caiman Lizard.

 

Life at the aquarium could get boring if it wasn’t for our biologists and the enrichment they give to the animals. Enrichment can be anything from a new object in the enclosure, changing around their furniture, a new scent, sounds of their wild cousins, or a new food item. Our biologists use enrichment all of the time to stimulate each animal’s mind, keep them active, and help our animals engage in natural behaviors.

Introducing new objects encourages animals to explore, and it enriches their lives.

 

Animals can be messy, so our biologists have to always be ready to clean! This can be anything from cleaning the algae on the glass, to doing water changes, to scrubbing penguin “mess.” By the end of the day, they might be dirty, but the animals homes are clean and looking great!

Biologist Kristen scrubbing the glass of our paddlefish tank.

 

 

 

 

Biologist Rob cleaning our Coral propagation tank.

Health care is always on the mind of a good biologist. Daily observation of the animals helps to spot a problem before it starts. And if the need arises, our biologists work closely with our Vet Team to address any issue.

Our Vet Team evaluating some scans from Victoria the penguin.

 

 

What day is complete without a little bit of paperwork? This aspect of our biologists’ day isn’t well known to many people. Everything we do for the animals gets logged every day. This way, we have accurate records of what the animals ate, what kind of enrichment or training we did, or if there are any problems that we’re seeing. Paperwork is the biologists’ least favorite part, but it is critical to making sure our animals are well taken care of.

Biologists hard at work doing their afternoon paperwork.

 

 

 

 

 

Our biologists are animal conservation heroes. You may have noticed, some of our biologists share their passion with local TV stations.

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Our biologists put in a hard day’s work, but they say it is worth it to know that the animals in their care are healthy and thriving. We are grateful for the work they do during this National Zookeeper Week and every other day of the year!

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Giant Sea Life Sand Sculptures Taking Shape at Newport Aquarium

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Didn’t get to make it to the beach this summer? Newport Aquarium is bringing the beach to you. #SharkSummer has been extended with the addition of giant sea life sand sculptures to be discovered along the adventure. During this promotion, one child gets in free with each full price adult on select dates and times.

14.5 tons of sand help comprise three large sand sculptures in Newport Aquarium. This one celebrates the aquarium’s 20th anniversary.

 

International grandmaster sand sculptor Damon Farmer is producing the custom sculptures. They will feature dozens of animals from the aquarium and will reach up to 8 feet tall. The sculptures are produced from more than 14.5 tons of sand. Guests visiting from Monday July 22 to Thursday July 25 will get to see the artist in action, actually producing the huge sculptures. Starting Friday July 26 they will be fully complete and on display through the end of #SharkSummer on September 8.

Guests can see grandmaster sand sculptor Damon Farmer in action this week while he builds the 6-8 foot tall sand sculptures.

 

In honor of #SharkSummer, each of the sand sculptures will include sharks and hidden elements for families to discover. “These sculptures are just so detailed. Everything from sharks to sea turtles and penguins will be seen but the closer you look, the more you’ll see down to the smallest of fish and corals,” said Newport Aquarium Executive Director, Eric Rose. “They really are a celebration of all the animals, perfect as we celebrate our 20th Anniversary this year.”

Each sand sculpture has a different theme. This is the beginning of “Turtle Reef” inside Stingray Hideaway, it will feature sea turtles, stingrays and many more aquatic animals. Each sculpture will also include a shark, signifying #SharkSummer.

Shark Capital of the Midwest
Guests can journey through the aquarium, discovering what makes this Tri-State gem the shark capital of the Midwest. See sharks like never before when you “dare to cross” Shark Bridge over the open waters of the 385,000-gallon Surrounded by Sharks exhibit. Touch five different species of sharks in Shark Central. Then, get nose-to-nose with sharks when they swim next to you and above you as you venture through more than 80 feet of acrylic tunnels.

Sand sculptor, Damon Farmer, references some of his inspiration as he sculpts a shark on top of this sand sculpture.

#SharkSummer is the perfect time to visit with extended hours, Newport Aquarium is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily until August 31. The 1 Kid FREE offer is available during select dates and times until September 8, and tickets must be purchased online.