November 18, 2014 — The following was released by the New Bedford Ocean Explorium:
There was well-orchestrated movement as each animal was captured and gently transferred to the Mystic Aquarium transport vehicle. The cow nose rays were transferred easily and the Ocean Explorium team took the opportunity to trim the barbs on the Atlantic Stingrays prior to transport.
Intern Anavey Swanson was able to participate in her first animal transfer, including moving the adult and juvenile white spotted bamboo sharks. All animals were transferred to Mystic Aquarium transport vehicle which has a 500 gallon tank designed for this purpose. The baby sharks were transported in their own separate fish box.
The move was 100% successful, and Ocean Explorium Curator Warren Gibbons expressed his appreciation for the team from Mystic. "Jack Schneider, the team leader, was tremendous. I really appreciate their efforts in helping us place these animals in a great new home. They made an otherwise challenging situation very simple. It is wonderful to work with great people. Many thanks to the Mystic Aquarium for the generosity of their time and expedient response to our request for help. We were able to get the transfer accomplished successfully. Mystic confirmed that the acclimation to the Mystic holding system was a big success.”
Executive Director Abbey Spargo echoed Gibbons' appreciation, stating that "Mystic Aquarium really came through for us. There is camaraderie and mutual support among aquariums that we have experienced in the past and this was no exception with transferring such a large number of animals at one time. Mystic is a wonderful partner to New Bedford in many ways, and the Ocean Explorium is confident the rays and sharks will be well cared for. We are extremely grateful for their assistance."
The Move to the Zoo campaign to transform the Aquatic Center at Buttonwood Park Zoo is underway. Most of the exhibits will be transferred within the next few months into storage for eventual installation in the renovated Aquatics building. The Ray and Shark Touch Tank, one of the Ocean Explorium's most popular exhibits, will be given to the City for eventual installation at the Zoo. The plan is to build a new building to specifically house this incredible tank and that will likely be accomplished separately from the renovation to the Aquatics building and will take place over the next few years.
In the meantime, some of the other animals are moving from the Ocean Explorium to the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology. There they will be cared for in temporary storage until their tanks are readied in the renovated Aquatic Center. Ms. Spargo expressed her thanks also to the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology for their assistance.