SCI Foundation’s International Wildlife Museum opened its newest exhibit, Conservation Underwater, complete with a 140 gallon saltwater aquarium!
Currently, the exhibit focuses on coral reefs, the species that call them home and conservation efforts that are being done for them. The theme of the exhibit will change periodically, but always focus on marine habitats, wildlife and conservation.
In the exhibit, the main focal point is the saltwater aquarium housing clown fish, three species of tangs, six line wrasse, blue velvet damselfish, crabs, snails, starfish, mussels, oysters, and five species of corals. Visitors are able to seek and find each species that is in the aquarium using a guide posted on the wall. The museum is working with a local Tucson business, Fishy Bizness, which donated over $5,000 worth of supplies and livestock, for set-up and to teach the IWM staff how to maintain the aquarium. When the aquarium is complete, it will contain around 20 fish and 10 corals.
In the exhibit, visitors can examine artifacts such as a great white shark jaw, hawksbill sea turtle mount, sting ray barb and skull and a spottail shark jaw. They can even walk under a life-size hammerhead shark replica hanging from the ceiling! Kids can “design their own coral reef” by moving around pictures of corals, fish, and sea turtles on a large magnetic board on the wall.
The International Wildlife Museum, located in Tucson, Arizona is excited to bring sustainable-use conservation messages to over 50,000 visitors each year with nearly half of them school-aged children. Visitors and campers gain an awareness and understanding about how SCIF contributes to wildlife conservation around the world and how these conservation achievements would not be possible without the contribution of hunters.
To learn more about the International Wildlife Museum go to www.thewildlifemuseum.org