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The Georgia Aquarium announced today the addition of a manta ray to the 6.3 million gallon Ocean Voyager gallery, built by The Home Depot.  The addition of the female manta ray, Nandi, makes Georgia Aquarium the only aquarium in the United States to ever house a manta ray and one of only four aquariums in the world to display this species. Nandi will join four whale sharks and thousands of other animals in the world’s largest aquarium exhibit.

“As the Georgia Aquarium grows as a tourist destination, our opportunity to promote conservation and education grows,” said Mike Leven, chief executive officer of the Georgia Aquarium. “The addition of Nandi, who inspired hundreds of thousands of people in South Africa, gives us the opportunity to elevate her as an ambassador for her species. Millions of people who may have never had the chance to see a manta ray will now have that chance at the Georgia Aquarium.”

Nandi, who measures more than nine feet across and weighs approximately 456 lbs, flew 9,000 miles on a chartered 747-200 aircraft from Durban, South Africa through Cape Verde, Africa, to Atlanta. The manta ray was under the care and supervision of Georgia Aquarium and uShaka Marine World professional staff and maintained by a highly advanced marine life support system.

“The Georgia Aquarium’s success in moving whale sharks across the world gave us confidence that this was the right thing to do,” said Dr. Mark Penning, executive director of uShaka Marine World.  “We see this as a perfect opportunity to create an international partnership and continue Nandi’s incredible story, raising worldwide awareness about manta rays.”

Nandi was rescued from shark nets off the coast of Durban, South Africa, in April 2007 and rehabilitated by uShaka Marine World, the largest marine park in Africa.  She has lived in uShaka for the past year, educating and inspiring conservation in more than 500,000 people. 

Manta rays are the largest rays in the sea, but Nandi was young when she was rescued, measuring just more than eight feet across and weighing around 245 lbs.  She had since outgrown her 580,000 gallon exhibit.  In order to raise worldwide awareness about manta rays, Georgia Aquarium and uShaka created an international partnership to bring Nandi from South Africa to Georgia Aquarium.

“No one has ever done this before,” said Leven. “Flying the world’s largest ray, a manta ray, from one side of the world to the other and housing it in a U.S. aquarium for the first time is incredible. Having the opportunity to work with this animal and grow our understanding of this strange yet gentle giant will be an opportunity of a lifetime.”

About manta rays
The manta ray is the largest of all rays, weighing up to 6,000 lbs and measuring up to 26 feet in width. It has a unique body shape, with an extremely broad head and an enormous, wide mouth flanked by two broad, flexible lobes. These fins are kept rolled and pointed forward, except when the manta is feeding.  Its tail is whip-like, but short, and does not have a barb or spine. The manta ray is primarily a plankton feeder, but also consumes small and moderate-sized fishes.  It is listed as “near threatened” on the IUCN Red List.

About the Georgia Aquarium
The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia, is the world’s largest with more than eight million gallons of water and the largest collection of aquatic animals. The mission of the Georgia Aquarium is to be an entertaining, educational and scientific institution featuring exhibits and programs of the highest standards; offering engaging and exciting guest experiences promoting the conservation of aquatic biodiversity throughout the world. The Georgia Aquarium is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums. For additional information, visit www.georgiaaquarium.org.
 

Here is a Father's Day photo of Georgia Aquarium's male weedy sea dragon carrying eggs.  A weedy sea dragon at the Georgia Aquarium is pregnant...not a female sea dragon, but a male.

It's up to the male to carry the eggs.

This is only the third weedy sea dragon pregnancy in a U.S. aquarium.
 

GEORGIA AQUARIUM ANIMAL FACT SHEET

Weedy Sea Dragon
Phyllopteryx taeniolatus

Range/Habitat
• The weedy sea dragon has a limited distribution from southern and western Australia to the southern tip of Tasmania.
• It is usually found in kelp forests, reefs or within shallow, weedy areas of estuaries.
• The weedy sea dragon occurs in depths to 160 feet (0 - 50 m); however, they tend to remain in shallower waters unless food is scarce.

Physical Characteristics
• The adult weedy sea dragon is approximately 18 inches (45 cm) in length.
• Its body form (long and compressed) is quite distinctive. It has long, narrow flaps of skin that project from the body and tail.
• Individuals are commonly olive-colored on the back, with a lighter, yellow-hued and spotted coloring on the body. It has a network of about seven dark bluish lines along the trunk region. Its leaf-like appendages are purple with a dark edge.
• This sea dragon actually belongs to the same family as sea horses (Syngnathidae), but unlike sea horses, it swims horizontally with its abdomen facing downward.
• It has a tube-like snout that functions like a drinking straw to suck up its food.
• The color and shape of the appendages are based on the sea dragon’s food supply and environment, and also vary with other factors such as depth and geography. A weedy sea dragon from a deep-water habitat tends to be less leafy and brighter.

Diet/ Feeding
• The weedy sea dragon preys on small crustaceans, including tiny mysid shrimp, as well as worms and other invertebrates.

Conservation Status
• The weedy sea dragon is listed as “endangered” on the IUCN Red List.
• The sea dragon is protected by Australian law and can only be imported by collectors with special permits.
• It is a protected species in New South Wales and Tasmania.

Additional Information
• With their leaf-like fins and frilly appendages, the weedy sea dragon camouflages itself perfectly among seaweed and sea grass beds. It is nearly impossible to find among the plants as it slowly sways back and forth with the current.
• The weedy sea dragon is a poor swimmer.
• An interesting fact about the weedy sea dragon is that it is the male of the species that “gives birth.” During mating season, which usually starts in October or November, the female lays up to 250 to 300 eggs onto the soft underside of the male's tail. The eggs embed into the skin in cup-like structures that harden and form around each egg to hold and protect them during brooding. After about two months, the bright pink eggs hatch into miniature juveniles, which settle into the vegetation. Although they are smaller and less colorful, and have a much shorter snout, the juvenile weedy sea dragon closely resembles the adult.
Sources
www.fishbase.org
Seahorses, Pipefishes, and Their Relatives. Kuiter, Rudie H., pgs. 75-79
Fishes of the World - An Illustrated Dictionary. Wheeler, Alwyne, pg. 286

Jeff Swanagan, who helped develop the Georgia Aquarium with billionaire Bernie Marcus and turn it into the world's largest fish tank, is taking his expertise to Columbus, Ohio.

Swanagan, the Georgia Aquarium's executive director and president, has been named executive director of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.

Mike Leven, vice chairman of the Marcus Foundation and a member of the Georgia Aquarium Board of Directors, has been named acting Chief Executive Officer, aquarium officials announced late Tuesday.

Swanagan, who was hired to create the Georgia Aquarium in 2002, started his career at the Columbus Zoo in 1981 as a zookeeper and was the facility's education director from 1982 to 1987.

"Jeff Swanagan joined the Georgia Aquarium when it was still just a dream," Marcus said in a statement. "He was not only involved with its planning from the very beginning, he helped create its structure and brought aboard qualified people to lead it."

"I've watched him grow over the past six years, and I am very proud that he has been chosen to lead a major facility," Marcus added.

When Bernie Marcus opened the Georgia Aquarium in November 2005, he promised that it would always play a role in animal conservation, that it would make an important economic impact on downtown Atlanta, and that it would constantly reinvent itself to continue to "WOW" and attract visitors from around the world. Today, Aquarium founder Marcus and Jim Jacoby, owner of Marineland of Florida and a member of the Georgia Aquarium board, disclosed a key relationship for the Georgia Aquarium with Marineland that ensures those promises continue to be met.

Tursiops truncatus) that will initially inhabit the Aquarium’s new building will come from Marineland’s Dolphin Conservation Center, founded in 2006 to educate and entertain guests through interactive dolphin encounters.

Marcus Announces Aquarium Support of Marine Animal Conservation Field Station

"This is the next ‘BIG WOW,’ the attraction that will continue to bring millions of people to downtown Atlanta and make it the most interesting and exciting facility in the world," Marcus said.

Construction on the dolphin exhibit is expected to begin in August 2008 and will open to the public winter 2010.

What's more amazing than the world's largest collection of aquatic animals? It's that you and your family can see them right here in Atlanta.

When you visit the Georgia Aquarium you'll share the joy and wonder of nature by experiencing up-close views of whale sharks and beluga whales. You can touch sea anemones, bonnethead sharks and cownose rays. You can hear the chomp of alligators and the crash of waves over your head. Just around the corner is a breathtaking getaway that will allow you to share the wonders of the world with your family.

Georgia Aquarium Annual Passes offer you 365 days to share the wonders of nature with your family.

AND with discounts on programs and events, VIP entry and FREE tickets to Deepo's Undersea 3D Wondershow you'll see how an Annual Pass can save you more than $270 this year!

You won't want to miss all the great benefits of becoming an Annual Pass Member Today. In less than two visits you will realize the great value of the Georgia Aquarium Annual Pass.

ANNUAL PASS PRICES:

• Adult - $65
• Child - $48 (age 3-12)
• Senior - $55 (age 55+)
• Under age 2 - FREE

ANNUAL PASS BENEFITS:

• Annual Passes are valid for one year from the date of purchase, so you can enjoy 365 days of adventure
• Visit when you want with no reservation needed
• Bring your friends and purchase their tickets at a 10% Discount
• FREE admission to Deepo's Undersea 3D Wondershow
• FREE admission to Jazz Journeys
• Use our dedicated Members Entrance for yourself and your accompanied guests
• SAVE during your visits
  • 50% Discount on Behind the Scenes Tours
  • 20% Discount on Georgia Aquarium Parking Deck
  • 10% Discount at Beyond the Reef & Sand Dollars gift shops
  • 10% Café Aquaria Discount
  • Member pricing for Aquarium programs and events (Children's Parties, Dive/Swim with the Gentle Giants, Summer Camp, Family Sleepovers, etc.)
• Receive Georgia Aquarium monthly e-Newsletter
• Annual Pass Membership card with photo
• PLUS, with all of your Member benefits, your pass is paid for in just two visits!