THE ANIMALS OF THE AQUARIUM.
♪ >> IT THE SUNRISE BECKONS AND EARLY MORNING WAKE-UP CALL OVER BOSTON HARBOR BUT INSIDE ONE ESSENTIAL WHARF, LIFE IS ALREADY DANCING IN A CAPTIVATING
CHOREOGRAPHY OF SEA LIFE.
>> THE MISSION OF THE NEW ENGLAND AQUARIUM IS TO SUSTAIN OCEAN ANIMALS AND THEIR HABITATS.
I WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL AS PASSIONATELY ABOUT THAT AS WE DO.
>> THE CEO SAYS THAT ADMISSION HAS HELD TRUE SINCE THE AQUARIUM FIRST OPENED IN THE SUMMER OF 1969.
THEY WOULD SOON FILL A 200,000 GALLON TANK WITH 52 WINDOWS OFFERING A CIRCULAR VIEW.
>> THE ARCHITECT DID THIS DESIGN SO THAT SMALL GROUPS OF PEOPLE COULD HAVE PERSONAL INTERACTIONS IN EACH WINDOW.
>> FOR 50 YEARS, THE AQUARIUM HAS BEEN HONORING OCEAN LIFE, AGAIN THE ANIMALS HERE FOR ALL OF US TO ENJOY, MORE IMPORTANTLY, LEARN FROM.
THIS TAKE WHEN IT WAS BUILT WAS A MODEL TO BEHOLD AND I GUESS YOU COULD SAY THE SAME THING TODAY.
A MESMERIZING VIEW INTO A UNIQUE WORLD OF EDUCATION.
>> OUR JOB IS TO BRING A CORAL REEF TO BOSTON.
>> MIKE IS THE SUPERVISOR OF THE GIANT OCEAN TANK OR G.O.T.
>> IT IS OUR LARGEST EXHIBIT.
IT HAS ABOUT 1000 ANIMALS IN IT.
MY JOB IS TO TAKE CARE OF ANYTHING THEY NEED.
MYRTLE, OUR SEA TURTLE, AND OUR SHARKS AND STINGRAYS.
THE NEEDS CAN VARY BASED ON THE CREATURE.
>> HE KNOWS THE ANIMALS THAT LIVE IN ITS DEPTHS BETTER THAN MOST.
HIS JOB IS TO ENSURE THEY THRIVE.
THE CORNERSTONE OF THAT MAY SURPRISE YOU.
A SIX-STORY FILTRATION SYSTEM.
>> THE SYSTEM IS GOING TO TURN OVER THE VOLUME OF WATER EVERY 90 MINUTES AND THAT IS WHAT IS GOING TO KEEP THE CHEMISTRY OF THE WATER IDEAL.
>> THAT IS 200,000 GALLONS IN THE TIME IT MIGHT TAKE TO GRAB LUNCH WITH A FRIEND.
SPEAKING OF LUN, AS THEY PREPARE TO TAKE A DIVE -- >> >> SCATTERED.
>>VOLUNTEERS PREPARE THE FOOD IT >> WE HAVE SCATTERED FEEDING AND TARGETED FEEDING.
>> 1500 VOLUNTEERS FROM TOPPING TO CLEANING HELP THE AQUARIUM AND ITS ANIMALS FLORES.
>> IT A LABOR OF LOVE.
>> TO MAINTAIN A SEAMLESS SYNERGY BETWEEN SPECIES, THE AQUARIUM ADHERES TO A STRICT SCHEDULE.
>> WE KEEP PREDATORS AND PREY TOGETHER.
MOST OF THE NEEDS OF THE PREDATORS ARE MET BY WHAT WE ARE OFFERING THEM.
>> BUT HOW DO YOU KNOW WHO ATE AND WHO DID?
SOME FISH ARE TARGETED USING THESE BOXES.
OTHERS ARE TRAINED TO BE READY WE DON’T RECOMMEND TRYING IT AT HOME BUT YOU CAN TRAIN A FISH.
>> HE KNOWS THAT WHEN THE DIVER GETS IN TE WATER WITH THIS RAIN, THAT IS WHERE HE NEEDS TO GO TO HAVE HIS LUNCH.
WEIGHING IN AT 515 POUNDS, THE MATRIARCH OF THE TANK, MYRTLE THE TURTLE.
SHE IS PROBABLY 70 YEARS OLD AND MORE CLOSELY TOWARDS THE 90 YEAR RANGE.
>> SCENE BY ONE MILLION VISITORS, SHE IS AN EXPLORER OF THE WORLD AROUND HER.
>> MOST ACTIVITIES, SHE WAS TO GET A LOOK AT.
-- WANTS TO GET A LOOK AT.
>> YOU GET TO FEED PENGUINS FOR A LIVING.
WHAT IS THAT LIKE?
>> IT CAN BE A LITTLE HECTIC.
>> BRENDAN, THEY WOULD AQUARIST, MIGHT HAVE ONE OF THE COOLEST JOBS.
THE WATER IS BROUGHT IN FROM CHILE BOSTON HARBOR.
TWO’S BASES -- TWO SPECIES LIVE AT T AQUARIUM, AFRICAN PENGUINS AND ROCKHOPPERS.
>> THEY HAVE DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL NAMES.
TREASURE IS NAMED AFTER THE TREASURE OIL SPILL IN 2000 WHERE 20,000 BIRDS WERE AFFECTED.
>> HE RECOGNIZES ALL OF THEM, KEEPS TRACK OF THEIR DIETS, USES FEEDING TIME AS AN OPTIMAL SPACE TO MONITOR THEIR HEALTH.
>> WE FEED THEM FIVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FISH.
MAKE SURE WE ARE NOT TAKING TOO MUCH FROM ONE SOURCE.
TODAY IS STARTING DAY.
IT IS NOT ALL OF THEIR FAVORITES.
IF YOU WANT TO DIP IN THE WATER, YUP.
>> JUST WATCH YOUR HANDS.
INTRODUCING VISITORS TO ONE OF THE AQUARIUM’S NEWEST ADDITIONS, GUEST RELATIONS SPECIALIST PATRICK, AND WHERE HE AND VETERAN, OFFERING GUIDANCE FOR MORE THAN 31 YEARS.
>> WE ALWAYS HOPE TO PROVIDE AN ANSWER TO OUR VISITORS’ QUESTIONS.
>> THERE IS NO AND TO THE STREAM OF CURIOSITY.
AS SUPERVISOR OF VISITOR EXPERIENCE, HE AND HIS TEAM MAKE SURE NO ONE LEAVES WITHOUT AN ANSWER.
>> THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A NO.
>> FROM VOLUNTEERS TO STAFF, THERE IS A RECOGNITION OF THE SPECIAL PLACE THEY HOLD IN SHARING THE STORY OF THESE ANIMALS.
>> PEOPLE ARE INSPIRED BY WHAT THEY LEARN ABOUT AND HOPEFULLY BECOME STEWARDS AND CONSERVATIONISTS IN TERMS OF PREVENTING -- PROTECTING OCEAN ECOSYSTEMS.
>> THE AQUARIUM STAFF TELL US THAT MANY OF THE ANIMALS HAVE FAVORITES WHEN IT COMES TO MEAL TIME.
FOR EXAMPLE, MYRTLE LOVES TO EAT LETTUCE, CABBAGE, AND BRUSSEL SPROUTS.
AND SPOILER ALERT, THE COR REEF ISN’T REAL, BUT LOOKS IT.
IT’S HANDMADE AND WAS PAINTED BY AQUARIUM ARTISTS.
NEXT, CARING FOR AN ELECTR