Manta Ray (From Richard Reynolds)

Manta_Ray_01, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Big news from the aquarium this week. The press indicates this is the only one in a US aquarium - -whether that means first ever or only for the present I do not know. I seem to recall a photo of one in the original Marineland, near St. Augustine, FL. My memory tells me that was in the 1940s when Marineland had the only one of those huge, multi-species oceanic tanks. Attendance at the Georgia Aquarium has fallen off considerably, now running at about 2 million annually. That's still quite good but they got spoiled by the first year which saw twice that number. Several months ago, Jeff Swanagan, President and Executive Director, resigned to take the director's job at the Columbus, Ohio zoo. Ohio is his native state, and he began his zoo career in Columbus. There have been some other staff resignations as well. However, Bruce Carlson is still there. He is Vice President of Education, Exhibits, Conservation, & Reserach. While the Board decides who will replace Swanagan, Chief Executive Officer Mike Leven is in charge. He has the idea of bringing in new and sensational attractions on a frequent basis to keep folks coming back and attract new visitors was well. He oversaw the acquisition of the ray. What's next, perhaps a Giant Sun Fish (Mola Mola)? It wouldn't surprise me to see Leven and founder Bernie Marcus try for a great white shark, given the success Monteray Bay has had with them. But it could be dangerous to put that critter in with all those other fish as Monteray learned when their's started eating the other animals. Result, the whites were returned to the sea but not before millions had turned out to see the living "Jaws." Georgia aquarium will soon send its sea lions elsewhere. That space will become a huge dophinarium with shows and "swim with the dolphins" opportunities. That was vigorously decried by the antis as soon as the announcement was made. They are also vocal in opposition to the "swim with the whale sharks" program which has been instituted. As one of them said, "I don't want the Georgia Aquarium at all, under any circumstances." Richard Reynolds