South Carolina Aquarium
Encyclopedia
The South Carolina Aquarium, located in Charleston, South Carolina
, opened in May 2000 on the historic Charleston Harbor. It is home to over 10,000 plants and animals including river otters, loggerhead sea turtle
s, alligators, Venus flytrap
s, great blue herons, hawks, owls, sea horses, jellyfish, pufferfish
, moray eel
s, horseshoe crabs, starfish, pythons, sea dragons and sharks. The largest exhibit in the Aquarium is The Great Ocean Tank, which extends from the first to the third floor of the Aquarium; it holds over 385,000 gallons of water and contains over 300 animals. The Aquarium also features a Touch Tank, where patrons are able to touch horseshoe crab
s, Atlantic stingray
s, and other marine animals.
, the Coastal Plain, the Coast, and the Ocean. The Aquarium’s 93000 square feet (8,640 m²) building includes 9 galleries featuring 6,000-7,000 amazing aquatic animals, from river otters and sharks to loggerhead turtles, in more than 100 exhibits. A rotating exhibit on the first floor originally featured "Secrets of the Amazon," a collection of animals and plants native to the Amazon River
basin. In 2008, this exhibit changed to "Camp Carolina," a simulation of a camping experience in the mountains of S.C. Showcased animals include skunk
s, barn owl
s, snake
s, and a bald eagle
. Penguin Planet opened in 2009 and featured four Magellanic penguins
. A rare albino American alligator
, one of only 50 in the world now calls the Aquarium home and is part of the Blackwater swamp exhibit. In February 2011 the Toddler Cove exhibit opens, featuring play elements for young visitors as well as bright colorful fish. And in March on 2011 the Aquarium will open the renovated Salt Marsh
exhibit which features a feed the stingray
experience.
habitat, the S.C. Aquarium utilizes its facilities to operate a Sea Turtle Hospital. The S.C. Department of Natural Resources transports injured or stranded sea turtles to the hospital, after which aquarium staff and volunteers nurture the animal back to health. A staff veterinarian
can perform surgery, administer x-rays, IVs, and even provide blood transfusions to turtles that are severely anemic.
Rehabilitated turtles are brought to a local beach and allowed to return to the ocean once they can live on their own. The average turnaround time for an injured turtle is 7–8 months. To date since opening, the Aquarium has rehabilitated and released 54 sea turtles. Behind-the-Scenes Tours of the Sea Turtle Hospital can be taken. For dates and times visit www.scaquarium.org.
The S.C. Aquarium is a private non-profit education and conservation organization, funded by a combination of ticket, concession and souvenir sales, and corporate, government and private donations.
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, opened in May 2000 on the historic Charleston Harbor. It is home to over 10,000 plants and animals including river otters, loggerhead sea turtle
Loggerhead sea turtle
The loggerhead sea turtle , or loggerhead, is an oceanic turtle distributed throughout the world. It is a marine reptile, belonging to the family Cheloniidae. The average loggerhead measures around long when fully grown, although larger specimens of up to have been discovered...
s, alligators, Venus flytrap
Venus Flytrap
The Venus Flytrap , Dionaea muscipula, is a carnivorous plant that catches and digests animal prey—mostly insects and arachnids. Its trapping structure is formed by the terminal portion of each of the plant's leaves and is triggered by tiny hairs on their inner surfaces...
s, great blue herons, hawks, owls, sea horses, jellyfish, pufferfish
Pufferfish
Tetraodontidae is a family of primarily marine and estuarine fish of the Tetraodontiformes order. The family includes many familiar species which are variously called pufferfish, balloonfish, blowfish, bubblefish, globefish, swellfish, toadfish, toadies, honey toads, sugar toads, and sea squab...
, moray eel
Moray eel
Moray eels are cosmopolitan eels of the family Muraenidae. The approximately 200 species in 15 genera are almost exclusively marine, but several species are regularly seen in brackish water and a few, for example the freshwater moray can sometimes be found in freshwater...
s, horseshoe crabs, starfish, pythons, sea dragons and sharks. The largest exhibit in the Aquarium is The Great Ocean Tank, which extends from the first to the third floor of the Aquarium; it holds over 385,000 gallons of water and contains over 300 animals. The Aquarium also features a Touch Tank, where patrons are able to touch horseshoe crab
Horseshoe crab
The Atlantic horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, is a marine chelicerate arthropod. Despite its name, it is more closely related to spiders, ticks, and scorpions than to crabs. Horseshoe crabs are most commonly found in the Gulf of Mexico and along the northern Atlantic coast of North America...
s, Atlantic stingray
Stingray
The stingrays are a group of rays, which are cartilaginous fishes related to sharks. They are classified in the suborder Myliobatoidei of the order Myliobatiformes, and consist of eight families: Hexatrygonidae , Plesiobatidae , Urolophidae , Urotrygonidae , Dasyatidae , Potamotrygonidae The...
s, and other marine animals.
Exhibits
The Aquarium, jutting out 200 feet (61 m) into the Charleston Harbor, offers a state-of-the-art environmental learning center that encompasses the entire spectrum of the Southeast Appalachian Watershed as found in South Carolina the Mountains, the PiedmontPiedmont (United States)
The Piedmont is a plateau region located in the eastern United States between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the main Appalachian Mountains, stretching from New Jersey in the north to central Alabama in the south. The Piedmont province is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division...
, the Coastal Plain, the Coast, and the Ocean. The Aquarium’s 93000 square feet (8,640 m²) building includes 9 galleries featuring 6,000-7,000 amazing aquatic animals, from river otters and sharks to loggerhead turtles, in more than 100 exhibits. A rotating exhibit on the first floor originally featured "Secrets of the Amazon," a collection of animals and plants native to the Amazon River
Amazon River
The Amazon of South America is the second longest river in the world and by far the largest by waterflow with an average discharge greater than the next seven largest rivers combined...
basin. In 2008, this exhibit changed to "Camp Carolina," a simulation of a camping experience in the mountains of S.C. Showcased animals include skunk
Skunk
Skunks are mammals best known for their ability to secrete a liquid with a strong, foul odor. General appearance varies from species to species, from black-and-white to brown or cream colored. Skunks belong to the family Mephitidae and to the order Carnivora...
s, barn owl
Barn Owl
The Barn Owl is the most widely distributed species of owl, and one of the most widespread of all birds. It is also referred to as Common Barn Owl, to distinguish it from other species in the barn-owl family Tytonidae. These form one of two main lineages of living owls, the other being the typical...
s, snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
s, and a bald eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
. Penguin Planet opened in 2009 and featured four Magellanic penguins
Magellanic Penguin
The Magellanic Penguin, Spheniscus magellanicus, is a South American penguin, breeding in coastal Argentina, Chile and the Falkland Islands, with some migrating to Brazil where they are occasionally seen as far north as Rio de Janeiro. It is the most numerous of the Spheniscus penguins. Its nearest...
. A rare albino American alligator
American Alligator
The American alligator , sometimes referred to colloquially as a gator, is a reptile endemic only to the Southeastern United States. It is one of the two living species of alligator, in the genus Alligator, within the family Alligatoridae...
, one of only 50 in the world now calls the Aquarium home and is part of the Blackwater swamp exhibit. In February 2011 the Toddler Cove exhibit opens, featuring play elements for young visitors as well as bright colorful fish. And in March on 2011 the Aquarium will open the renovated Salt Marsh
Salt marsh
A salt marsh is an environment in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and salt water or brackish water, it is dominated by dense stands of halophytic plants such as herbs, grasses, or low shrubs. These plants are terrestrial in origin and are essential to the stability of the salt marsh...
exhibit which features a feed the stingray
Stingray
The stingrays are a group of rays, which are cartilaginous fishes related to sharks. They are classified in the suborder Myliobatoidei of the order Myliobatiformes, and consist of eight families: Hexatrygonidae , Plesiobatidae , Urolophidae , Urotrygonidae , Dasyatidae , Potamotrygonidae The...
experience.
Sea Turtle Rescue Program
In addition to extensive education efforts in support of a healthy Loggerhead Sea TurtleLoggerhead Sea Turtle
The loggerhead sea turtle , or loggerhead, is an oceanic turtle distributed throughout the world. It is a marine reptile, belonging to the family Cheloniidae. The average loggerhead measures around long when fully grown, although larger specimens of up to have been discovered...
habitat, the S.C. Aquarium utilizes its facilities to operate a Sea Turtle Hospital. The S.C. Department of Natural Resources transports injured or stranded sea turtles to the hospital, after which aquarium staff and volunteers nurture the animal back to health. A staff veterinarian
Veterinarian
A veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....
can perform surgery, administer x-rays, IVs, and even provide blood transfusions to turtles that are severely anemic.
Rehabilitated turtles are brought to a local beach and allowed to return to the ocean once they can live on their own. The average turnaround time for an injured turtle is 7–8 months. To date since opening, the Aquarium has rehabilitated and released 54 sea turtles. Behind-the-Scenes Tours of the Sea Turtle Hospital can be taken. For dates and times visit www.scaquarium.org.
Staffing and Funding
The aquarium has more than 80 paid staff, with a complement close to 400 volunteers. The volunteer program has become a model in the community.The S.C. Aquarium is a private non-profit education and conservation organization, funded by a combination of ticket, concession and souvenir sales, and corporate, government and private donations.