Waikiki Aquarium

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hairy yellow hermit crab as seen at the Waikiki Aquarium
Hairy yellow hermit crab as seen at the Waikiki Aquarium

The Waikiki Aquarium is one of the premier marine science institutions in the City & County of Honolulu and the State of Hawaii. Founded on March 19, 1904, this marine aquarium is the third oldest public aquarium in the United States. Since 1919, the Waikiki Aquarium has been an institution of the University of Hawaii System.

Situated beside a living coral reef on the Waikiki shoreline, the Waikiki Aquarium is home to more than 3,055 organisms of 464 species of marine plants and animals. Each year, over 350,000 people visit. The Waikiki Aquarium was designated a Coastal Ecosystem Learning Center of the Coastal America Partnership federal program.

Contents

[edit] Establishment

The Waikiki Aquarium was established by the Honolulu Rapid Transit Authority, a forerunner of the present-day Oahu Transit Services, Inc. It was hoped that the aquarium would entice travelers to ride the trolley all the way to the end of the line at Queen Kapiolani Park where the Waikiki Aquarium is located.

Considered a scientific instruction at the time of its opening, William Jennings Bryan and Jack London traveled to Honolulu to see the Waikiki Aquarium first hand. Biologist David Starr Jordan said the Waikiki Aquarium to have the finest collection of fishes in the world.

[edit] History

The Hawaiian monk seal exhibit
The Hawaiian monk seal exhibit

The aquarium live fish gathering business in Hawaii has a long, controversial history. In 1973, community worries over collecting actions were first handled by the Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources by requiring monthly collection information. Increases in fish gathering united with growing public perception of declining fish supply ultimately developed into a harsh numerous use of disagreement between fish collectors and the dive tour industry.

In reply to declines in reef fishes due to aquarium collectors, the Hawaii State Legislature, in the course of Act 306, formed the West Hawaii Regional Fishery Management Area in 1998 to advance management of fishery resources. The projected management plan received 93% support at a public hearing and was then approved by the Governor (Tissot 175).

[edit] Development and Conditions

The Waikiki Aquarium developed displays of living corals starting in the middle to late 1970s. These aquarium structures were reliant on a permanent provision of seawater and therefore the aquarium seawater situation was not so different from the ones on the reef.

Living corals are more complex to sustain in aquariums than most marine fish. Aquarists must be more aware of the physical, chemical and natural necessities of corals if they hope to accomplish success. Lighting, water chemistry, water motion, and temperature are the main features of concern to aquarists preserving living corals (Carlson 44).

The Waikiki Aquarium was the first aquarium in the world to maintain the chambered nautilus and the first to breed them.[1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Nautilus. www.waquarium.org. Waikiki Aquarium (unknown). Retrieved on 2007-11-26.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

2. Tissot Brian N. Walsh William J. Hallacher Leon E. (April 2004). "Evaluating effectiveness of a marine protected area network in West Hawaii to increase productivity of an aquarium fishery". Pacific Science, v58 i2 p175.

3. Carlson Bruce A. (Feb 1999). "Organism responses to rapid change: what aquaria tell us about nature". American Zoologist, v39 i1 p44.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Zoos of Hawaii
aquariums
Waikiki Aquarium
Zoos
v • d • e
Zoos, aquaria and aviaries