“Look! It’s Nemo!” squeals a little dark-haired girl as she peers through the aquarium glass and follows the meanderings of a small orange, black and white ocellaris clownfish – the real-life fish that was the inspiration for the ultra-popular Disney film “Finding Nemo.”
This excited kid is just one of dozens of grade-schoolers, easily identified by their electric-blue T-shirts, who have come to the Adam R. Scripps Living Seas Gallery at Birch Aquarium at Scripps with the Del Mar Unified School District summer camp. The campers are gleefully darting from one watery habitat to another that comprises the newly opened exhibit.
The big draws seem to be the (rescued) giant red Pacific octopus (about 4 years old, weighing 60-70 pounds); the luminescent jellyfish (who doesn’t love the jellies?); and the simulated tidepool on the patio, overlooking Scripps Pier and offering a panoramic view of the always-spectacular La Jolla coastline.
Visiting adults also seem duly impressed by the $18.7 million renovation. This new version replaces the Hall of Fishes, exhibits that had been in place since 1992. Here are a few of the other numbers that tell the story of Living Seas:
- Number of habitats – 38
- Gallons of water – 128,000
- Giant Pacific Octopus tank – 3,500 gallons
- Giant Kelp Forest – 70,000 gallons
The giant sea bass in the Giant Kelp Forest, which arrived at the aquarium in 1998, weighs in at about 300 pounds. It may eventually grow to 7 feet and 700 pounds.
Why did the aquarium embark on such an extensive makeover?
“The ocean is changing faster than ever, and we needed a space that could respond just as quickly,” Director of Exhibits Megan Dickerson says. “This makeover allows us to share up-to-date stories about marine life and climate change. (The) larger habitats now reflect a more ecosystem-based approach — better for the animals and better for the people who come to be with them.”
If you’ve been to the aquarium before, you’ll find the habitats and the signage more streamlined and interactive than before.
Information panels highlight one species in the habitat — most often one that has an unusual or humorous name and curious behaviors, something visitors are likely to remember.
“Interpretive signage is cleaner and more focused, while digital displays let you dive deeper, whether you’re into coral species or octopus camouflage,” Dickerson says. “We focused on creating places for connection — between people and animals, and with each other. The new layout includes quiet ‘eddies’ where you can pause, watch, and wonder… like our now-famous blue velvet couch beside the ever-changing school of sardines.”
There also is plenty to see in other areas of the aquarium.
In the believe-it-or-not category is the fascinatingly ghoulish, 11-foot, 7.5-inch short-crested oarfish encased in glass. The creature washed ashore near Leucadia in late 2024. Stranded oarfish are a rare occurrence, so this one provided scientists with valuable information. I try to keep in mind that every creature, regardless of looks or size, has a place and purpose in the natural world.
Nearby, at the opposite end of the size spectrum, are the tiny, captivating seahorses and seadragons. Birch Aquarium is a leader in the field of seahorse breeding conservation and has been at it for more than 25 years. The aquarium has shipped about 5,000 seahorses to more than 100 facilities around the world.
The last habitat we visit belongs to the little blue penguins. Our last visit was three years ago when the diminutive penguins first arrived. The birds were being introduced slowly, a couple at a time. This time, it looks as though at least a dozen are swimming and waddling around in the multimillion-dollar, 2,900-square-foot habitat. The signage tells us that each bird has a distinct personality and preferences, but ultimately, they all are just so darn cute.
Birch Aquarium also has multiple summer programs for all ages. For more discussion and photos, visit www.facebook.com/elouise.ondash.
