Last week, my husband and I had the chance to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Wow! The aquarium is located right on the water with wonderful views of the bay. Once inside, we headed to the kelp forest exhibit. The large central tank is three stories tall giving the kelp plenty of room to grow. I was most excited to note the fish displayed normal behavior. Many smaller tanks containing a variety of animals surrounded the large one, highlighting the smaller species who call these waters home.
Next, we wandered through a jelly fish exhibit. It rivals any art museum for sheer beauty. Then we headed to view the popular sea otters. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is working hard to rescue and rehabilitate sea otters with the hope of saving this endangered species. Last, we toured the open sea exhibit. The large central tank made me feel like I was out at sea, miles from land. Although I enjoyed seeing the large sharks and tuna, what surprised me most were the schooling fish. The aquarium had several exhibits that showcased these smaller fish. There was one circular exhibit built into the ceiling filled with small bait fish. The fish swam in one direction around the tube. I couldn’t help but wonder if they every change direction?
When I go to a zoo or aquarium, I look at many things including the cleanliness of the facility, the size of enclosures, condition of the animals and how they behave. I am happy to report that I did not see any unnatural behaviors in any of the animals. I highly recommend a trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I can’t wait to go back for a longer visit!
Here is a link to their website: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/
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