I have mixed feelings about Zoos and attractions that feature animals on display. Having a keen interest in animal welfare, my preference has always been to see animals in their natural habitat rather than in artificial enclosures. However, there are Zoos, and then there are Zoos. The New England Aquarium in Boston is an excellent example of a facility that is doing all the right things.
With our oceans facing numerous challenges from things like over-fishing, pollution and climate change – research, conservation and education are all powerful tools to help us protect our planet and its resources for future generations. The newly renovated New England Aguarium provides an outstanding opportunity to appreciate and learn more about the incredibly diverse and fascinating life forms in our oceans and what we can all do to help them thrive.
The New England Aquarium is a very impressive facility. Featuring a massive multi-level central tank with elaborate coral structures, this ocean-like environment needs to be seen to be believed. There are sharks, sea turtles, rays, octopus and numerous colourful fish to discover. There are also other exhibits around the main tank featuring seals, sea lions and penguins, and they all look happy, healthy and very well taken care of.
Some of our favorite exhibits were the smaller tanks displaying beautiful marine creatures like sea horses, jellyfish and the incredibly colourful and interesting seadragons. Children will absolutely love the aquarium. You could easily spend 2-3 hours there and not be bored for a minute.
There is also an IMAX theatre on the grounds. We caught the awe-inspiring 3D Great White Shark documentary and it was both entertaining and educational. The New England Aquarium also offers whale watching expeditions, which we obviously had to experience too. Stay tuned for a future post covering this awesome adventure. Highy recommended. For now, back to the cage.
