Shedd Aquarium in Chicago

[tyrancooper]

I visited the John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago today. I was most interested in visiting their "Amazon Rising" exhibit. I'm new to keeping discus and was anxious to see a "professional" exhibit of them.

Would you believe that they had NO discus on display?!?

I talked to some of the aquarium employees/tour guides and none of them had even heard of a discus!!! Even one employee that was specifically giving information on south American fish and their habitats did not know what a discus is. Finally, another worker talked to a supervisor and came back to me to say that maybe they'd have discus in a couple of months.

I was so disappointed. All of the exhibits were beautiful, natural settings, including "Amazon Rising", but the fish that I had so wanted to see were missing.

Oh well, I'll check back with them in the spring.

Tyra

[Ryan]

Hi Tyra,

Did you get to see the beluga whale exhibit? Did they have a calf there or was it grown now? They're my favorite whales and some very good friends of mine in Chicago used to keep me updated with pictures and such.

Ryan

[tyrancooper]

Ryan,

Yes, I did see the beluga whales. They were absolutely beautiful!! It was possible to view them from above and from below. They were so graceful, it's hard for me to put into words what it was like to see them. In the under water viewing room there is a large amount of written and audio information on these magnificent animals.

I visited the Shedd Aquarium shortly after one of the female belugas gave birth in 2001 and it was fascinating to watch the mother glide through the water with her calf close by her side.

When I was at the Shedd yesterday there were about three adults and one slightly smaller beluga that for the most part remained close to one adult in particular. I think this pair was the mother and calf that I saw before, but I am not sure (There were no staff members around to ask.).

Tyra