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The turtles’ new habitat is finished and has been up and running for a few days, and it’s looking great. Custom built by the Animal Care staff, the habitat had to be water-tested to ensure that it has no leaks and that the water filtration pumps, air circulation system, and lighting all work smoothly. And so far, so good.
The nearly completed turtle habitat. Just add turtles.
The inner workings of the tank are cleverly disguised in a driftwood sculpture, giving the habitat a natural look and feel. Even the turtles’ basking light is hidden in piece of driftwood that extends over a nice flat rock. It will be a great spot for the turtles to relax and enjoy the heat as museum visitors check them out.
The basking light and rock.
In just a few weeks, the new habitat will be moving up to the water exhibit area and museum staff will be seeding it with some emerald shiners (a type of small bait fish) to kick-start the biological system. Then it will be ready for the turtles to move in!
Recently, I had the chance to observe as Stacey Tidman in the Animal Care Facility vacuumed, sorted and scrubbed the Pacific tank.
A suction tube removes waste from the gravel in the Pacific tank.
The process starts with emptying some of the dirty water from the tank. The Pacific Habitat is a saltwater tank, so white crusts of salt build up everywhere. These have to be wiped away. Then Stacey fires up a large suction apparatus that pulls the detritus (waste and uneaten food) from the gravel bed at the bottom of the tank. This sucking tube is equipped with a screen so that no valuable sea creatures (like the worms that live in the gravel bed) end up going down the drain.
The next step is to remove any empty mussel shells. The starfish and sea urchins that live in the Pacific habitat love to snack on mussels, and the Museum staff provide them with a steady supply. The staff leave a few mussel shells in the tank as a source of calcium.
Finally, Stacey scrubs the algae growth off the inside of the tank. There are snails in the habitat that help keep the tank clean by eating algae, but sometimes they need a bit of assistance. Stacey uses a special fibrous mitt to remove the algae from the tank without damaging the Plexiglass.
Scrubbing a week’s worth of algae from the Pacific tank.
But bath time isn’t just a chore; it’s also a chance to get hands-on experience with some really beautiful and fascinating creatures. In my next post, I’ll introduce you to the colourful residents of the Pacific tank.
As Museum staff members are busy preparing the new aquarium, the exhibit’s new inhabitants are getting ready for their big debut.
The Museum’s water exhibit will feature three live habitats: a turtle habitat, a freshwater river habitat and a Pacific habitat. Many of the animals that will live in these habitats have already arrived at the Museum, but they must go through a lengthy acclimation process before they can go on display. They must get used to being around people, noise and, in some cases, each other.
For over a year now, two spotted turtles have been hanging out in the Animal Care Facility at the Museum, preparing to move into the turtle habitat. Spotted turtles are the smallest turtle species found in Canada, and while they are native to the Ottawa area, they are somewhat rare. These particular turtles came from the Ecomuseum in Montreal. The Museum of Nature staff have been monitoring the turtles, making sure they are healthy, happy and getting along. Their habitat in the water exhibit will simulate their habitat the wild, and will include a selection of other animals, such as mussels and crayfish.
A spotted turtle relaxes on a log in the Animal Care Facility.
Next week…we meet some feisty freshwater fish and some very cool creatures from the West Coast.
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