Parc Aquarium du Quebec
Encyclopedia
Aquarium du Québec is a public aquarium
located in Sainte-Foy, Quebec
, Canada
. The 16 hectares (39.5 acre) facility is home to more than 10,000 animals representing more than 300 species. It is operated by Société des établissements de plein air du Québec
(Sépaq), and is a member of the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums
(CAZA).
that belonged to the Canadian National Railway
. The provincial government acquired the land in 1954, and work to construct the buildings began in 1955.
In 1956, the Biological Centre of Quebec opened, and included laboratories occupied by research teams in marine biology
and fisheries, a rotunda, and two galleries of aquariums. Soon, a research wing was added to house laboratories for research on species with commercial potential, such as salmon
, eel
, and lobster
, and to gather all documents in the library of the Ministry of Fisheries
. 230,000 gallons of freshwater were supplied by tanker from Lake St. Charles
and drawn directly from the St. Lawrence River. The 320,000 gallons of saltwater were brought in from as far away as Rimouski (Pointe-au-Pere).
In 1959, after the completion of reception areas and a restaurant, the aquarium opened to the public as the Organic Centre. The Organic Centre's educational mission was provided in collaboration with the Linnean Society of Quebec that establishes a program for children, a first for a museum in Quebec. The 150,000 visitors that were welcomed in the first year caused additional investment for the site that included outdoor pools for seals
additional aquariums.
In 1971, researchers at the Biological Centre eventually moved to the new Science Complex of Quebec. To reflect the fact that the aquarium had evolved into to a public education facility (although research work in collaboration with universities continues), it changed its name to the Aquarium du Québec.
In 1999, the aquarium welcomed its eight-millionth visitor. However, the facilities had become antiquated, and the Quebec government (the owners) did not want to continue funding a facility that did not pay for itself. The Sépaq
was created, with the mandate to manage and renovate the Aquarium, along with the Jardin Zoologique du Québec (Zoological Gardens of Quebec).
In 2002, after two years of closure for renovation, the newly named le nouveau Parc Aquarium du Québec opened its doors next to the zoo. The main building, outdoor gardens, and seal pools were completely refurbished. Most of their international species replaced by aquatic species from Quebec. A polar bear exhibit with an underwater viewing pool was added, though the Aquarium was accused of having a design "off" from the definition of marine life, and of copying another popular attraction, the Zoo Sauvage de St-Félicien
. The aquarium did not meet its ambitious attendance targets initially and it reduced its entry price and offered children of Quebec residents free admission until 2006.
In 2005, Michel Després
, the provincial minister responsible for the Quebec region announced that the Jardin Zoologique du Québec would close, some activities at the Aquarium would be stopped, and management would be turned over to the Société des établissements de plein air du Québec
(Sépaq). The government of Quebec would invest $6.5 million at the aquarium to expand its collection.
In November, 2008 the institution changed its name back to Aquarium du Québec and unveiled a new logo.
, crustaceans, molluscs, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and marine mammals in their exhibits housing around 10,000 animals. The Aquarium specializes in boreal
and arctic
wildlife.
The Aquarium du Québec has seven individual exhibits sectors. Each sector is representative of the wildlife and nature found in a specific geographical region. The sectors are:
The Awesome Ocean exhibit is the main attraction in the aquarium. Visitors walk through a tunnel in a 350000 litre sea water tank and see the marine life from the vantage point of a diver. There are often divers in the exhibit that will showcase the marine life.
Discover the Coastal Zone
This sector showcases the world of Canada
's marine invertebrates from both the Atlantic
and the Pacific Ocean
. Visitors are also given the opportunity to interact and even touch the animals such as starfish, sea urchins, hermit crabs, sea cucumbers and more.
Fresh & Salt Water
Two levels of aquariums exhibit the estuarine life in the St. Lawrence basin where the fresh water from the river mixes with the salt water of the Atlantic Ocean.
Scientific Crossroads
Discover the research that makes the Aquarium du Québec an important place for marine biology
in Canada and learn more about marine labs and marine research.
An exhibition that showcases the ecosystem of the St. Lawrence corridor that includes many birds, amphibians, insects, reptiles, and plants that inhabit the surrounding environment.
Banks of the St. Lawrence River
While visitors overlook the mighty St. Lawrence River, they can observe the grey and harbour seals as they frolic and play amongst the waves.
The Arctic Sector
Visitors can observe animals that exist in the Arctic
, such as Harp seal
s, walruses, and polar bear
s as they move through the four different seasons with an underwater glass view. Visitors are also entertained with a daily walrus show that has two Pacific Walruses and one Atlantic Walrus. The Aquarium claims to be the first and only institution of its kind to care for the two subspecies.
Public aquarium
A public aquarium is the aquatic counterpart of a zoo, housing living aquatic species for viewing. Most public aquariums feature tanks larger than those kept by home aquarists, as well as smaller tanks. Since the first public aquariums were built in the mid-19th century, they have become popular...
located in Sainte-Foy, Quebec
Sainte-Foy, Quebec
Sainte-Foy is a former city in central Quebec, Canada on the Saint Lawrence River. It was amalgamated into Quebec City on January 1, 2002. Most of Sainte-Foy is in the Borough of Sainte-Foy–Sillery–Cap-Rouge....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The 16 hectares (39.5 acre) facility is home to more than 10,000 animals representing more than 300 species. It is operated by Société des établissements de plein air du Québec
Société des établissements de plein air du Québec
The Société des établissements de plein air du Québec is the agency of the Government of Quebec that manages parks and wildlife reserves...
(Sépaq), and is a member of the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums
Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums
-External links:*...
(CAZA).
History
The origin of the Aquarium du Québec dates back to 1953, when Dr. Vadim D. Vladykov convinced Dr. Arthur Labrie, Deputy Minister of Ministry of Fisheries, to obtain a site near the Quebec BridgeQuebec Bridge
right|thumb|Lifting the centre span in place was considered to be a major engineering achievement. Photo caption from [[Popular Mechanics]] Magazine, December 1917...
that belonged to the Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
. The provincial government acquired the land in 1954, and work to construct the buildings began in 1955.
In 1956, the Biological Centre of Quebec opened, and included laboratories occupied by research teams in marine biology
Marine biology
Marine biology is the scientific study of organisms in the ocean or other marine or brackish bodies of water. Given that in biology many phyla, families and genera have some species that live in the sea and others that live on land, marine biology classifies species based on the environment rather...
and fisheries, a rotunda, and two galleries of aquariums. Soon, a research wing was added to house laboratories for research on species with commercial potential, such as salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
, eel
Eel
Eels are an order of fish, which consists of four suborders, 20 families, 111 genera and approximately 800 species. Most eels are predators...
, and lobster
Lobster
Clawed lobsters comprise a family of large marine crustaceans. Highly prized as seafood, lobsters are economically important, and are often one of the most profitable commodities in coastal areas they populate.Though several groups of crustaceans are known as lobsters, the clawed lobsters are most...
, and to gather all documents in the library of the Ministry of Fisheries
Ministry of Fisheries
Ministry of Fisheries may refer to:* Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries * Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, United Kingdom * Fisheries and Oceans Canada* Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan...
. 230,000 gallons of freshwater were supplied by tanker from Lake St. Charles
Saint-Charles River
Saint-Charles River is a river of Quebec , and the main river in Quebec City. Its huron-wendat name is Akiawenrahk.-Geography:It springs from Saint-Charles Lake, follows a course of approximately 33 km and ends into Saint Lawrence River...
and drawn directly from the St. Lawrence River. The 320,000 gallons of saltwater were brought in from as far away as Rimouski (Pointe-au-Pere).
In 1959, after the completion of reception areas and a restaurant, the aquarium opened to the public as the Organic Centre. The Organic Centre's educational mission was provided in collaboration with the Linnean Society of Quebec that establishes a program for children, a first for a museum in Quebec. The 150,000 visitors that were welcomed in the first year caused additional investment for the site that included outdoor pools for seals
Pinniped
Pinnipeds or fin-footed mammals are a widely distributed and diverse group of semiaquatic marine mammals comprising the families Odobenidae , Otariidae , and Phocidae .-Overview: Pinnipeds are typically sleek-bodied and barrel-shaped...
additional aquariums.
In 1971, researchers at the Biological Centre eventually moved to the new Science Complex of Quebec. To reflect the fact that the aquarium had evolved into to a public education facility (although research work in collaboration with universities continues), it changed its name to the Aquarium du Québec.
In 1999, the aquarium welcomed its eight-millionth visitor. However, the facilities had become antiquated, and the Quebec government (the owners) did not want to continue funding a facility that did not pay for itself. The Sépaq
Société des établissements de plein air du Québec
The Société des établissements de plein air du Québec is the agency of the Government of Quebec that manages parks and wildlife reserves...
was created, with the mandate to manage and renovate the Aquarium, along with the Jardin Zoologique du Québec (Zoological Gardens of Quebec).
In 2002, after two years of closure for renovation, the newly named le nouveau Parc Aquarium du Québec opened its doors next to the zoo. The main building, outdoor gardens, and seal pools were completely refurbished. Most of their international species replaced by aquatic species from Quebec. A polar bear exhibit with an underwater viewing pool was added, though the Aquarium was accused of having a design "off" from the definition of marine life, and of copying another popular attraction, the Zoo Sauvage de St-Félicien
Zoo Sauvage de St-Félicien
The Zoo Sauvage de St-Félicien is one of the largest zoos in the province of Quebec. Located in Saint-Félicien, the Zoo is dedicated to wildlife conservation of the boreal climate and is managed by The Centre for Conservation of Boreal Biodiversity inc.The Zoo Sauvage de St-Félicien is an...
. The aquarium did not meet its ambitious attendance targets initially and it reduced its entry price and offered children of Quebec residents free admission until 2006.
In 2005, Michel Després
Michel Després
Michel Després is an administrator, consultant and a former Quebec politician. He was the former MNA member of the former riding of Limoilou from 1985 to 1994 and 1998 to 2003 and the former member of the riding of Jean-Lesage from 2003 and 2007 when he was defeated...
, the provincial minister responsible for the Quebec region announced that the Jardin Zoologique du Québec would close, some activities at the Aquarium would be stopped, and management would be turned over to the Société des établissements de plein air du Québec
Société des établissements de plein air du Québec
The Société des établissements de plein air du Québec is the agency of the Government of Quebec that manages parks and wildlife reserves...
(Sépaq). The government of Quebec would invest $6.5 million at the aquarium to expand its collection.
In November, 2008 the institution changed its name back to Aquarium du Québec and unveiled a new logo.
Attractions
The Aquarium has a garden, several outdoor pools, and a main building with several exhibits. The Aquarium has around 300 species of fishFish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
, crustaceans, molluscs, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and marine mammals in their exhibits housing around 10,000 animals. The Aquarium specializes in boreal
Boreal ecosystem
The term boreal is usually applied to ecosystems localized in subarctic and subantarctic zones, although Austral is also used for the latter....
and arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
wildlife.
The Aquarium du Québec has seven individual exhibits sectors. Each sector is representative of the wildlife and nature found in a specific geographical region. The sectors are:
Indoors
The Awesome OceanThe Awesome Ocean exhibit is the main attraction in the aquarium. Visitors walk through a tunnel in a 350000 litre sea water tank and see the marine life from the vantage point of a diver. There are often divers in the exhibit that will showcase the marine life.
Discover the Coastal Zone
This sector showcases the world of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
's marine invertebrates from both the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
and the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. Visitors are also given the opportunity to interact and even touch the animals such as starfish, sea urchins, hermit crabs, sea cucumbers and more.
Fresh & Salt Water
Two levels of aquariums exhibit the estuarine life in the St. Lawrence basin where the fresh water from the river mixes with the salt water of the Atlantic Ocean.
Scientific Crossroads
Discover the research that makes the Aquarium du Québec an important place for marine biology
Marine biology
Marine biology is the scientific study of organisms in the ocean or other marine or brackish bodies of water. Given that in biology many phyla, families and genera have some species that live in the sea and others that live on land, marine biology classifies species based on the environment rather...
in Canada and learn more about marine labs and marine research.
Outdoors
WetlandsAn exhibition that showcases the ecosystem of the St. Lawrence corridor that includes many birds, amphibians, insects, reptiles, and plants that inhabit the surrounding environment.
Banks of the St. Lawrence River
While visitors overlook the mighty St. Lawrence River, they can observe the grey and harbour seals as they frolic and play amongst the waves.
The Arctic Sector
Visitors can observe animals that exist in the Arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
, such as Harp seal
Harp Seal
The harp seal or saddleback seal is a species of earless seal native to the northernmost Atlantic Ocean and adjacent parts of the Arctic Ocean. It now belongs to the monotypic genus Pagophilus. Its scientific name, Pagophilus groenlandicus, means "ice-lover from Greenland", and its synonym, Phoca...
s, walruses, and polar bear
Polar Bear
The polar bear is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak Bear, which is approximately the same size...
s as they move through the four different seasons with an underwater glass view. Visitors are also entertained with a daily walrus show that has two Pacific Walruses and one Atlantic Walrus. The Aquarium claims to be the first and only institution of its kind to care for the two subspecies.