You can now see a colony of colorful live corals in Seahorses: Unbridled Fun. Corals can be put into two categories: hard and soft. Hard corals have rigid skeletons which build up the structure of the reef. Soft corals don’t have a skeleton, so they grow on an existing reef. Coral reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean, but are home to almost 25% of all known marine species! Check out these amazing animals on your next visit and learn more about what you can do to help protect them!
Arriving on May the Fourth, this female Giant Pacific Octopus or GPO, is one of the newest residents to make her home at Newport Aquarium. After a routine quarantine, you can now find her exploring her new exhibit in Ring of Fire. Weighing in at only 4 pounds, she is a juvenile that still has quite a bit of growing to do. She is very inquisitive and loves working puzzles.
NEW, young Lionfish have joined the jolly crew in Shipwreck: Realm of the Eels! Lionfish are highly adaptive and can live almost anywhere. But they can have a drastic negative effect on ecosystems where they’re not native because of their voracious, carnivorous appetites.
These stunningly beautiful fish glide gracefully through the water with their venomous spines fluttering as they move. Beautiful as they are, they’re among the deadliest fish in the world. Learn more about these fascinating fish and peer safely into their world on your next visit to Newport Aquarium.
The Brand-New Hatchling Harbor is growing! New Caribbean Spiny Lobsters and Hermit Crabs are now joining in the fun in this bustling 25-foot-long habitat. Plus, meet baby animals growing and changing every day as you explore this busy corner of the Caribbean that lies between the shore and the reef. The longer you linger, the more this rich habitat will reveal!
hey may look like plants, but the new Weedy Sea Dragons are actually related to seahorses! Their beautiful leafy appendages provide camouflage by resembling the plant life found throughout their habitat. When finding a potential mate, Weedy Sea Dragons use elaborate movements, mirror each other’s body language and even spiral around each other as part of the courtship process! You can catch them gracefully swimming in Seahorses: Unbridled Fun.
Decorator Crabs collect things like algae, anemones and sponges from their habitat to use as camouflage. These little fashionistas attached these things to little hooked bristles on their shell to craft the perfect outfit! When the crab grows, it must shed its old shell in a process called molting and start collecting all over again. On your next visit, find the decorator crab in Shore Gallery right next to the touch tank and check out its newest ensemble!
Meet 3 baby Orinoco Crocodiles, one of the rarest reptiles in the world! In partnership with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Newport Aquarium is raising these young animals in their temporary home in Gator Alley. Once the babies grow-up to over 3 feet long, they’ll be transported back to Venezuela where they’ll help with breeding of wild populations of these critically endangered animals.
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