Halifax’s first aquarium is just about ready.
Dov Bercovici, CEO of The Discovery Centre tells us, the Beaty Centre for Marine Biodiversity is on track for a December opening.
It was unveiled last week to over 200 guests in the Steele Ocean Sciences building at Dalhousie University, but the species need time to climatize to their new environment.
“We are putting finishing touches on the site, so we are looking at a December opening to the public,” says Bercovici.
The project is in collaboration with the university and was funded by Ross Beaty and his family, $8.2 million, alongside other families and seven foundations.
There will be tanks of all sizes filled with marine life native to our waters here at home, focusing on the groundbreaking ocean research in our region.
Bercovici says the star attraction is the 18-metre blue whale skeleton that is suspended in the atrium of the building.
“The whale’s remains were discovered off the coast of Nova Scotia several years ago and the display was assembled by MARS and the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative,” adds Bercovici.
Another species expected at the aquarium is an orange and blue, bi-coloured lobster, named Claudia. Bercovici says she is one in 50 million.
In total there will be 30 exhibits and aquaria.
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