Aquarium Times - Florida Aquarium Forum

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Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Dolphin Eco Tour

Most visitors I have come in contact with absolutely love the Florida Aquarium. But I have noticed something worth discussing. This is the Wild Dolphin Eco Tour that leaves the Aquarium dock. The Tour is aboard the Aquarium's Bay Spirit catamaran, that usually makes 2 to 3 trips out each Saturday and Sunday, as well as during the week.

I have noticed that visitors are disappointed when no dolphins show themselves during a tour. So perhaps it is worthwhile to discuss why this might be, and why it is still a wonderful trip!

First, it is important to remember that these are WILD DOLPHINS! Not tame, trained animals. They don't come on command. In other parts of the world, even wild dolphins will come on command because they are fed by the tour operators. However, here in Florida, it is illegal to feed or interfere with wild dolphins in any way. So the crew of the Aquarium's Bay Spirit have no way to assure the cooperation of the dolphins.

Second, dolphins are mobile creatures. They go where they want to go. The Tour crew use every tool available, plus their vast experience to locate the dolphins, yet there are times, when they transform into invisible dolphins!

But even though you may not see any visible dolphins, the Tour aboard the Bay Spirit is still the best tour of the bay and Port of Tampa there is, and well worth the ride and cost. After all, the old saying is still true - the worst day on the bay, is better than the best on land!

So, if you can't see any visible dolphins on a given trip - check out our photos at www.TampaBayAquarium.com And, even though you didn't see any visible dolphins, remind those around you, that you saw LOTS of invisible dolphins! ;)

Dr. Tim

Saturday, March 18, 2006

New Shows

New Shows @ Florida Aquarium
Published: March 7, 2006 on TBO.com

TAMPA - The stars of the Florida Aquarium's new stage show are not fish.

So what's what are a Nigerian dwarf goat, a Polish chicken and a Labrador retriever doing starring in the Florida Aquarium's new stage show?

The answer has little to do with marine life and a lot to do with entertainment.

The stage animals, which also include 11 rats, make their debut Thursday afternoon, part of the aquarium's plan to continue boosting attendance by offering people new ways to connect more intimately with the organization.

Two goats that will alternate performing in the daily afternoon show, are being trained to jump on crates, take a bow and wave to the audience.

Rats, in the process of learning their routines, will run around the new $30,000 circular stage before exiting through a hole.

Fish simply can't deliver the intimate experience that mammals can, especially to young children, the target audience for the show. Making a connection helps boost attendance, and therefore, revenue.

Aquariums face a conundrum, said Jeffrey Hyson, a professor at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia, who is writing a book on the history and culture of zoological institutions. The very thing that sustains them -- fish -- aren't necessarily cuddly nor easy for children to make a connection with, Hyson said.

"The fish don't have the personality of the animals," Hyson said. "They can't be presented as charismatic characters."

None of the animals in the new show is typically found in Florida, unlike animals in the aquarium's other animal show.

"We wanted to create something more exotic," said Paula Blum, who directs the aquarium's animal shows. She said the animals were chosen for their ability to be trained and adored.
The aquarium's president said increasing the entertainment value of the facility is a key goal. "If the kids are entertained, the families are entertained, hopefully they will come back often," said President Thom Stork, who was formerly marketing director at Busch Gardens and SeaWorld.
Stork said a key problem for the aquarium when it opened in 1995 was that the original management made it so educational that there was little focus on fun.


The aquarium quickly turned out to be a financial disaster after its opening. Attendance was more than 40 percent below original projections of 1.8 million visitors. The nonprofit aquarium couldn't make its payments on the $84 million in bonds, and the city was forced to assume financial responsibility for the institution.

That obligation goes to 2027. In the current fiscal year the debt service is $7 million. That translates into about $21 for every one of Tampa's 321,000 residents.

The aquarium has put more emphasis on entertainment the last several years, leading to modest attendance gains. Attendance reached 607,570 in 2004, the best since its opening in 1995. In the year ending in October, attendance reached 620,000.

Aquarium officials insist they don't neglect the institution's educational mission.
Kimberly Casey, the aquarium's chief financial officer, said the show serves as a hook to draw people into the nonprofit institution to learn about marine life.


Even with its entertainment values, the show still offers a conservation message about the importance of all animals, Casey said.

Dennis Spiegel, a Cincinnati-based theme park consultant, said the Tampa aquarium's approach is not unusual. The aquarium in Denver featured tigers and an aquarium in Newport, Ky., has Santa Claus diving with the sharks, he said.

"Aquarium displays by themselves can be boring," he said.

From a business point of view the Florida Aquarium's animal show makes sense, Hyson said, but it risks criticism from animal rights groups who might feel the stage animals are being exploited.
Blum said the animals reside in cages that exceed minimum federal and industry-accepted zoological standards and are taken for frequent walks during the day. She also said all their stage behaviors are naturalistic, showing behaviors that animals would portray in the wilds or in urban centers, in the case of rats.


Once they learn their routines, the animals won't be doing them forever. Casey said the aquarium plans to retool the show every six months.

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So, "Aquarium displays by themselves can be boring," huh? Not to the 100's of thousands of visitors every years, and the thousands I have personally met volunteering in the Aquarium!

An Aquarium does need to be a fun experience, but let's not forget that animals are not toys (much as we all enjoy petting the stingrays). The beauty and value of the Aquarium is in the presentation of life! Yes there is much that can be done to improve this, and shows are a great approach - there should be more of them in fact! Yes, visitors want to see, touch, and smell the animals. But in our ever diminished world, exposure to the variety of life is, in and of itself, a valuable reward.

"The fish don't have the personality of the animals," Hyson said. "They can't be presented as charismatic characters." Well, IMHO, this is bunk!!!! He should try actually interacting with fish! Stingrays have personalities, as do many fish. My friend George, the Rockweed Gunnell Fish in the No Bones Zone, with the big "puppy dog" eyes, and curious personality is a good example. Another is the evil Willey The Wolf Eel (also No Bones Zone) - not cuddy, friendly, or even nice (in my opinion), never the less has a distinct personality. All it takes, is getting to know them. Of course, there are examples of fish as dense as pier pillings - can you say Red Drum?

Dr. Tim

Monday, March 06, 2006

Volunteering

As someone who has been volunteering for several months, I can tell you that our participation with the Florida Aquarium has been nothing but enjoyable. It is a pleasure to work with the Aquarium Staff, who really appreciates the value that volunteers bring to the Aquarium.

The initial volunteer training was an enlightening experience. It provides a unique setting to learn unbelievable amounts of information about, not only the Florida Aquarium itself, but also about the animals it is home to. For those who are more interested in public contact, going through the additional Educational Department training, is even more amazing. You will learn vast amounts about sea life, and their habitats, all in a low pressure fun setting.

I would encourage anyone that is interested in or loves sea life, to check out the Volunteering page on our site for more information. If you are a diver, there is no place better! You get to dive any day you want, and you always have the best view and closest interaction with marine life. Even if you're not a diver, there are lots of opportunities to work directly with the animals!

So check it out today!

Dr. Tim

Sunday, March 05, 2006

New Content

Thank You for your visit to TampaBayAquarium.com

New content has been added!

New photos have been added to numerous pages. A new WebFish page has been added containing links to Aquariums all over the world. A Fun page has also been added for mindless amusement.

Enjoy!

Dr. Tim

Welcome To The Florida Aquarium Forum

Welcome Visitors

Welcome to the Florida Aquarium Forum!

This is a new forum/blog created to allow visitors to the Florida Aquarium in Tampa, Florida, to share their experiences. Please feel free to tell us about your visit; what you enjoyeds, what amazed you, or if you disliked something! You are also welcome to share photos of your visit, we'd love to see them!

Please feel free to visit our companion website: www.tampabayaquarium.com

If you haven't visited the Florida Aquarium, we strongly urge you to visit! The Florida Aquarium is one of the premier attactions in all of Florida!

Sincerely,

Tim McGuinness
Aquarium Volunteer

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