Closing America’s Oldest Public Aquarium | National Geographic

we found out that the decision had been

we found out that the decision had been made to close this facility the next

made to close this facility the next

made to close this facility the next phase is going to cut the power you know

phase is going to cut the power you know

phase is going to cut the power you know we have a lot of pumps a lot of a lot of

we have a lot of pumps a lot of a lot of

we have a lot of pumps a lot of a lot of systems that are running you know

systems that are running you know

systems that are running you know everything from our lighting to our HVAC

everything from our lighting to our HVAC

everything from our lighting to our HVAC the things as simple as our admissions

the things as simple as our admissions

the things as simple as our admissions counters so we made the decision that it

counters so we made the decision that it

counters so we made the decision that it would be best at this point in time to

would be best at this point in time to

would be best at this point in time to shut down and plan for the future and

shut down and plan for the future and

shut down and plan for the future and step

you know it’s a big loss that you know

you know it’s a big loss that you know certainly when we heard the news that we

certainly when we heard the news that we

certainly when we heard the news that we are closing felt a lot of that loss

are closing felt a lot of that loss

are closing felt a lot of that loss myself and you know that was shared by

myself and you know that was shared by

myself and you know that was shared by everybody here

I don’t look forward to losing the

I don’t look forward to losing the animals that kind of make us what we are

every time we move one out it’s another

every time we move one out it’s another you know exhibit that we walk by in the

you know exhibit that we walk by in the

you know exhibit that we walk by in the hallway where we look at it I kind of

hallway where we look at it I kind of

hallway where we look at it I kind of remember what used to be there and a lot

remember what used to be there and a lot

remember what used to be there and a lot of a lot of sadness and emotion involved

of a lot of sadness and emotion involved

of a lot of sadness and emotion involved with that our curator has been working

with that our curator has been working

with that our curator has been working diligently to try and make sure that

diligently to try and make sure that

diligently to try and make sure that every animal has a home

every animal has a home

every animal has a home we’ve moved I think approximately 200

we’ve moved I think approximately 200

we’ve moved I think approximately 200 animals so far

animals so far

animals so far well started with the collection in

well started with the collection in

well started with the collection in Baltimore in looking at our collection

Baltimore in looking at our collection

Baltimore in looking at our collection with the collection that’s up there to

with the collection that’s up there to

with the collection that’s up there to kind of match what animals we would want

kind of match what animals we would want

kind of match what animals we would want to transfer to that that facility

to transfer to that that facility

to transfer to that that facility sometimes the smaller fishes are hard to

sometimes the smaller fishes are hard to

sometimes the smaller fishes are hard to capture you know so a lot of times what

capture you know so a lot of times what

capture you know so a lot of times what we’re doing is we’re bringing the water

we’re doing is we’re bringing the water

we’re doing is we’re bringing the water level and the exhibit down pretty low so

level and the exhibit down pretty low so

level and the exhibit down pretty low so that we can corral them you know

that we can corral them you know

that we can corral them you know Internet’s pretty easily

Internet’s pretty easily

Internet’s pretty easily sometimes when you’re looking at a tank

sometimes when you’re looking at a tank

sometimes when you’re looking at a tank close to about a thousand gallons and

close to about a thousand gallons and

close to about a thousand gallons and you’re looking for it you know a two

you’re looking for it you know a two

you’re looking for it you know a two inch fish in there that’s dark and

inch fish in there that’s dark and

inch fish in there that’s dark and matches everything that’s in there it

matches everything that’s in there it

matches everything that’s in there it can be a bit challenging under the ledge

can be a bit challenging under the ledge

can be a bit challenging under the ledge but there is one soon in the craft there

but there is one soon in the craft there

but there is one soon in the craft there you see it we had started off

you see it we had started off

you see it we had started off acclimating the the octopus to the net

acclimating the the octopus to the net

acclimating the the octopus to the net being in the water and you know feeding

being in the water and you know feeding

being in the water and you know feeding it near the net and getting it to kind

it near the net and getting it to kind

it near the net and getting it to kind of associated food with the net and the

of associated food with the net and the

of associated food with the net and the the aquarist went up there and basically

the aquarist went up there and basically

the aquarist went up there and basically put the net in the in the water the

put the net in the in the water the

put the net in the in the water the octopus came over kind of curious and

octopus came over kind of curious and

octopus came over kind of curious and feeling around gave it a few moments to

feeling around gave it a few moments to

feeling around gave it a few moments to kind of get you know up into it and

kind of get you know up into it and

kind of get you know up into it and actually went pretty easily

we load up the truck with the octopus

we load up the truck with the octopus and you know a number of other fishes

and you know a number of other fishes

and you know a number of other fishes who went up at the Baltimore and

who went up at the Baltimore and

who went up at the Baltimore and everybody is was ECLA mated into their

everybody is was ECLA mated into their

everybody is was ECLA mated into their quarantine systems and so we really had

quarantine systems and so we really had

quarantine systems and so we really had no issue with the transport you know it

no issue with the transport you know it

no issue with the transport you know it actually went pretty smoothly from there

I guess if there was an animal that I’ll

I guess if there was an animal that I’ll miss the most that’s probably the the

miss the most that’s probably the the

miss the most that’s probably the the alligators

we basically have them inside a PVC tube

we basically have them inside a PVC tube so they can’t turn around so you know

so they can’t turn around so you know

so they can’t turn around so you know that okay the head is wearing into that

that okay the head is wearing into that

that okay the head is wearing into that direction we can open it this way and

direction we can open it this way and

direction we can open it this way and then had the two alligators inside a

then had the two alligators inside a

then had the two alligators inside a wooden crate that within lock and had

wooden crate that within lock and had

wooden crate that within lock and had air holes and a different things so that

air holes and a different things so that

air holes and a different things so that you can get good air flow in the

you can get good air flow in the

you can get good air flow in the alligator reformists able to pick them

alligator reformists able to pick them

alligator reformists able to pick them up and then they were released back in

up and then they were released back in

up and then they were released back in the wild cave is clear except for a

the wild cave is clear except for a

the wild cave is clear except for a starfish you know one of the things that

starfish you know one of the things that

starfish you know one of the things that I think is really important is for

I think is really important is for

I think is really important is for people to continue to support aquariums

people to continue to support aquariums

people to continue to support aquariums there is a lot of different things that

there is a lot of different things that

there is a lot of different things that happen that you know that need help with

happen that you know that need help with

happen that you know that need help with you know not just funding but volunteers

you know not just funding but volunteers

you know not just funding but volunteers and it’s a neat place to kind of put

and it’s a neat place to kind of put

and it’s a neat place to kind of put your energies and efforts towards and

your energies and efforts towards and

your energies and efforts towards and even though we’re closing it’s you know

even though we’re closing it’s you know

even though we’re closing it’s you know it’s been a fantastic experience way to

it’s been a fantastic experience way to

it’s been a fantastic experience way to close this out here