Sad News from the Calgary Zoo

[Delphinus]

I know other public zoos/aquariums have "touch" tanks and I don't know what kind of mortality they see, as a tourist in these places you'd never really know..

But the aquarist in me says when you see nearly 100% die off in a system in 24 hours, there are only so many explanations. The tank crashed, or, something was introduced. I don't know how sensitive rays are to ammonia/nitrite, but if the tank was crashing, I think the decline would be more gradual.

So I think something was introduced, either accidentally, or, maybe even deliberately.

Obviously a PR nightmare for the zoo, I don't know how you can pull out of this. Close the exhibit permanently? Or try again? Either option is going to make them look bad.

I feel just sick about this. 34 dead rays... I can't believe it. So very sad.

[xtreme]

ya that really sucks

[Ephraim]

surprised they lasted this long, the way that system was designed. Probably the fluctuating SG. there goes 500K well spent.

[michika]

So sad!

[Lance]

I agree with you Tony; really weird for them to die that quickly. Zoo officials say the water quality was normal. I'd hate to think someone deliberately put something in the water. Whatever the reason, it's a disaster for the zoo, and a sad day as well.

[steve fedyk]

I con't believe how fast the rays died off. I hope the problem can be solved. If the tank was posioned I hope the people responsable are delt with in a timely fasio.

[michika]

I'm guessing its something that they don't routinely test for; hand cream on someone's hands, acetone from freshly cleaned nails, etc.

[justinl]

Man that seriously sucks.

I doubt it was trace amounts of hand cream or something like that. I would imagine that the system is pretty big and if it was something foreign and added deliberately, it would have to be a fairly significant amount to cause that kind of effect. That said, I know it isnt hard to sabotage a public aquarium. Security isn't generally a main focus. and to compound the problem, think about how many people visit the place every day. trying to figure out who did it, if that were the case, would be near impossible unless they have video surveillance over the tank (hopefully they do).

[Keri]

I didn't know the rays were altered (stingers trimmed)
Not sure how I feel about that


I'd be suspicious of someone putting something in the tank with so many deaths so soon, if all other params were in check, too weird.

What's wrong with ppl??

[Delphinus]

Might be wrong but I thought I heard on the news this morning that they had ruled out sabotage. Thing is yesterday they were saying they had ruled out equipment failure.

So many deaths in such a short timeframe though, doesn't "just happen." There's an explanation for this ... whether they find out what it is or whether they come clean with their findings remains to be seen.

Other public aquariums have similar exhibits, although in hindsight I seem to recall that the ones I have seen have been larger with maybe half as many individuals. But you'd think they'd look to other SUCCESSFUL tanks in other public aquariums and try to model after those...

Guess I'm now inclined to agree with Mark that this was just another poorly thought out folly. I had assumed they would hire an experienced aquarist from another public facility but it seems that they were just learning it as they go. (I was astounded at how they transported the Hippopotamus and they reacted with surprise when she died. I was hoping the rays exhibit was not another one like this, but I see I was wrong. You put some measure of faith into the professionals to know how to do their jobs, or to at least put some legitimate research into things first ....)

Death count is now 35, they lost one of the remaining 8 this morning. What a terrible tragedy.