On March 6, men watching the hockey game at the Speakeasy (on 901 West Broadway) were in for a big surprise. Special pregnancy tests were placed in the urinals and displayed an unexpected result when warm liquid hit the target. Posters above the urinals depicted a very pregnant male seahorse that read, “In an aquatic land not so far away, mommies aren’t the only ones who get pregnant.”
This eye-catching campaign launched the Vancouver Aquarium’s new spring feature, Babies, an exhibition that runs from from March 9 to May 6. Visitors are invited to explore galleries containing hundreds of babies, including seahorses, clown anemone fish, wolf eels, and poison frogs, to discover unusual ways that different animal species breed and care for their young. There will be new daily shows, interactive exhibits, and family activities surrounding the exhibition.
“This quirky experience is a great way to get people excited about our new Babies feature, and give everyone a glimpse into the fascinating aquatic world,” says Clint Wright, senior vice-president and general manager of the Vancouver Aquarium. “For over 55 years, the Aquarium has been successfully breeding thousands of animals from fishes and invertebrates to reptiles and birds. Babies highlights our vital research and conservation initiatives, and connects visitors with science while they discover some of the work happening behind the scenes.”
During Babies, you’ll also be able to visit Vancouver Aquarium’s baby nursery in the Canaccord Financial Exploration Gallery to see the fascinating two stage lifecycle of moon jellies and meet real live jelly babies. Catch the baby clown anemone fish and seahorses in a new temporary exhibit in the Pacific Canada Pavilion, and don’t miss your chance to put on your dancing shoes and boogie with baby penguin Mumble in the Happy Feet 4-D Experience.
There are three new shows at this exhibit:
Babies: Saving Our Frogs will showcase amphibians facing extinction, highlighting one of our local species, the Oregon spotted frog. Find out how the Vancouver Aquarium is actively involved in the preservation and restoration of these ‘ribbiting’ animals by breeding their babies.
Babies: Heroic Wolf Eels will take you behind the scenes (via live video) to meet the researchers in the fish lab who work tirelessly to uncover the best way to breed wolf eels.
Babies: Seahorse Romance is sure to surprise! Explore how male seahorses get pregnant and dance when mating.
Visit the Vancouver Aquarium website for more information on Babies, as well as film schedules for the three features mentioned above.
The Vancouver Aquarium is a recognized leader in connecting people to our natural world. It is a self-supporting, non profit organization dedicated to effecting the conservation of aquatic life through display, communication, public programs, education, research and direct action.
Images courtesy of Vancouver Aquarium.
