The Vancouver Aquarium’s newest exhibit “Sea Monsters Revealed”allows visitors to take a trip back in history to explore the evolution of sea creatures, while also debunking many of today’s common myths. This exhibit is perfectly suited for people of all ages who have an interest in aquatic life, although some portions of the exhibit may scare some of the younger ones.
The exhibit displays multiple creatures which have gone through a polymer preservation technique known as plastination; this has allowed the creatures to be shown out of their natural habitats and in a cross-sectional manner. Visitors can have a peek inside a five-metre-long mako shark, a Goliath grouper, and a pregnant silky sharkand metre-long ocean sunfish, the heaviest bony fish in the world. This gives all visitors a more interactive and close-up look into what makes each creature so unique, and how it adopts and thrives in its natural habitat. Here is a list of of the creatures you’ll find at Sea Monsters Revealed.
Thresher Shark
They are believed to be a distant relative of the massive megalodon, a prehistoric sea monster that could grow up to 18 metres in length. Half of their body length is taken up by their long tail, which they use to prey on other fish by creating a whirlpool around them. At the exhibit you can actually see a small fish inside the Thresher Shark’s stomach!
Mako Shark
With a body shaped like a torpedo, the Mako Shark is the fastest shark in the world! This species of sharks can reach speeds up to 55 km/h. At the exhibit, a 5-metre Mako Shark is cut up, and sectioned into individual pieces allowing observers to see how one may look if observed through an MRI device.
Goliath Grouper
This specimen can swallow its prey whole, and lurks in the dark to ambush. It can also grow up to 2-metres long. At the exhibit, you can see an exploded display of the grouper and get a better understanding of the bony sea creature. As a matter of fact, bony fishes are the largest class of vertebrates on the planet.
Ocean Sunfish
The ocean sunfish is the heaviest bony fish in the ocean, and on average, sunfish are a metre-long but can grow up to three metres and weigh over 2200 kilos. Their name comes from their tendency to lay on the ocean surface and warm up, while other fish take off parasites that cling to them. You can see the detailed muscles and tendons dedicated to stabilizing and moving these fins in the metre-tall specimen on display. This Sea Monster Revealed specimen also has a small fish sitting in its stomach.
Moray Eel
There are more than 200 species of moray eels, and they can vary in length from 15 centimeters to four-and-a-half metres. Recent fossil discoveries of eel-like creatures that date back to 505 million years ago indicate that a creature similar in shape to the eel is the earliest human ancestor. This raises the question: Could humans be related to this ancient sea monster? Things to think about at night huh? This species of Eel are fierce predators and with their unique jaw structure, they can swallow their prey in one bite. With needle like teeth, it’s impossible for the prey to escape.
This entire exhibit is definitely one of Vancouver’s best exhibits to explore this spring and summer and we encourage families to check it out! The exhibit is led by world class experts on all of these displayed creatures who offer precise, and clear knowledge.
Besides the plastinated displays, the Sea Monsters Revealed exhibit also has a 4D movie that allows viewers to travel back in time, and see the history and evolution of these magnificent creatures.
The exhibit, which launched on March 5, will be on display until September 7, 2015.
Sea Monsters Revealed Review by Hamed Amiri
