Audubon Aquarium of the Americas to Rescue Animal Survivors

The Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, one of the top aquariums in the United States, will rescue and relocate the surviving animals from its marine life collection to three colleague institutions in Monterey, California; Dallas; and Galveston Texas. While the acclaimed New Orleans aquarium survived Hurricane Katrina relatively unscathed, its life support system did not; most of the animals in its aquatic exhibits were lost. The sea otters, penguins, leafy and weedy sea dragons, some fishes and Midas, a 250 lb. green sea turtle all survived thanks to the care of staff who remained at the aquarium through the hurricane, flooding and civil unrest. Media will be able to speak with key staff of the aquarium and its sister institution, the Audubon Zoo; and to film/photograph animals as they are brought out of the aquarium for transport to Baton Rouge so they can be transferred to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Dallas World Aquarium and the Rainforest at Moody Gardens on Friday, September 9th at noon.

Hurricane Katrina has inflicted a tragedy of monumental proportions on the people of New Orleans and the southeast. It has also dealt a significant blow to the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas Louisiana’s most visited attraction and an institution numbered among the elite aquariums in the United States. Hurricane damage disabled much of its life support system, costing the aquarium most of the animals in its aquatic collection.

Thanks to the care of dedicated staff members, there are survivors to rescue, notably sea otters, penguins, a sea turtle, and rare leafy and weedy sea dragons. (Audubon Nature Institute President Ron Forman personally fed the otters and refilled the tank fueling the generator that powered the life support system; and a New Orleans police officer was given a crash course to feed the aquarium’s penguins.)

On Friday, aquarium staff will rescue and relocate most of the surviving animals while it plans its recovery and reopening. Two sea otters and 19 penguins will be moved to the Monterey Bay Aquarium; leafy and weedy sea dragons to the Dallas World Aquarium; and Midas the sea turtle to the Rainforest at Moody Gardens. Eight large tarpon will remain in the aquarium’s Gulf of Mexico exhibit.

This is an opportunity for media to talk with key staff, including John Hewitt, aquarium vice president and director of husbandry; to get updates on the condition of the Audubon Zoo from Dan Maloney, General Curator, and to film/photograph rescued animals being taken from the aquarium building.

Aquarium of the Americas marked its 15th anniversary on Monday, September 5 and has attracted more than 18 million visitors.