Shedd Aquarium (formally the John G. Shedd Aquarium) is an indoor

public aquarium A public aquarium () or public water zoo is the aquatic counterpart of a zoo, which houses living aquatic animal and aquatic plant, plant specimens for public viewing. Most public aquariums feature tanks larger than those kept by home aquarists, ...

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

. Opened on May 30, 1930, the aquarium holds about 32,000 animals. It is the third largest aquarium in the

Western Hemisphere The Western Hemisphere is the half of the planet Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian (which crosses Greenwich, London, United Kingdom) and east of the 180th meridian.- The other half is called the Eastern Hemisphere. Geopolitically, ...

(after the

Georgia Aquarium Georgia Aquarium is a public aquarium in Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The aquarium exhibits hundreds of species and thousands of animals across its seven major galleries, all of which reside in more than of water. It was the larges ...

and The Seas at Epcot) and the 11th-largest aquarium in the world. The Shedd Aquarium is a highly-ranked world aquarium and at one time was the largest indoor facility in the world. It is the first inland aquarium with a permanent saltwater fish collection. The aquarium is located along

Lake Michigan Lake Michigan ( ) is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and depth () after Lake Superior and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the ...

in the city's Museum Campus, which also includes other highly-ranked institutions such as

Adler Planetarium The Adler Planetarium is a public museum in Chicago, Illinois, dedicated to astronomy and astrophysics. It was founded in 1930 by local businessman Max Adler (Sears), Max Adler. Located on the northeastern tip of Northerly Island on Lake Michigan ...

and the

Field Museum of Natural History The Field Museum of Natural History (FMNH), also known as The Field Museum, is a natural history museum in Chicago, Illinois, and is one of the largest such museums in the world. The museum is popular for the size and quality of its educationa ...

. In 2015, the Shedd Aquarium had 2.02 million visitors. It was the most visited aquarium in the Western Hemisphere in 2005, and in 2007, became the most visited cultural institution in Chicago. The aquarium contains 1,500 species, including fish, marine mammals, birds, snakes, amphibians, and insects. The aquarium received awards for "best exhibit" from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) for Seahorse Symphony in 1999, Amazon Rising in 2001, and Wild Reef in 2004. It was designated a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...

in 1987.

History

Shedd Aquarium was the gift of retail leader John G. Shedd, a protégé of

Marshall Field Marshall Field (August 18, 1834January 16, 1906) was an American entrepreneur and the founder of Marshall Field's, Marshall Field and Company, the Chicago-based department stores. His business was renowned for its then-exceptional level of qua ...

(benefactor of the adjacent Field Museum), to the city of Chicago. Although Shedd only lived long enough to see the architect's first drawings for the aquarium, his widow, Mary R. Shedd, cut the ribbon at the official opening ceremony. The aquarium cost $3 million to build (equivalent to $ in ), and initially included 132 exhibit tanks. Groundbreaking took place on November 2, 1927, and construction was completed on December 19, 1929; the first exhibits opened on May 30, 1930. As one of the first inland aquariums in the world, the Shedd had to rely on a custom-made railroad car, the Nautilus, for the transport of fish and seawater. The Nautilus lasted until 1959. In 1930, 20

railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...

tank car A tank car (International Union of Railways (UIC): tank wagon) or tanker is a type of railroad car (UIC: railway car) or rolling stock designed to transport liquid and gaseous commodity, commodities. History Timeline The following major event ...

s made eight round trips between

Key West Key West is an island in the Straits of Florida, at the southern end of the U.S. state of Florida. Together with all or parts of the separate islands of Dredgers Key, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Island, it con ...

and

to transport of seawater for the Shedd's saltwater exhibits. In 1933, Chicago hosted its second

world's fair A world's fair, also known as a universal exhibition, is a large global exhibition designed to showcase the achievements of nations. These exhibitions vary in character and are held in different parts of the world at a specific site for a perio ...

, the Century of Progress. The Aquarium was located immediately north of the fairgrounds, and the museum gained exposure to a large international crowd. In 1971, Shedd Aquarium added one of its most popular exhibits, a exhibit reproducing a

Caribbean The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...

coral reef A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in group ...

. That same year, the aquarium acquired its first crewed research vessel, a 75-foot (23 m) boat for exploring the Caribbean, to conduct field research and collect specimens. In 1985, this boat was replaced with the aquarium's current vessel, the ''Coral Reef II''. In 1987, Shedd Aquarium was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. John Shedd's grandson, John Shedd Reed, who had served as president of

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the largest Class 1 railroads in the United States between 1859 and 1996. The Santa Fe was a pioneer in intermodal freight transport; at vario ...

from 1967 to 1986, was president of the aquarium's board from 1984 until 1994, and was a life trustee until his death in 2008. Ted A. Beattie served as

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

and CEO of the aquarium from 1994 until his retirement in 2016. Bridget C. Coughlin assumed duties as president and CEO of the company in the Spring of 2016.

Architecture

Shedd Aquarium is notable for its

architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and construction, constructi ...

. The basic design, by architectural firm Graham, Anderson, Probst & White, is taken from classical

Greek architecture Ancient Greek architecture came from the Greeks, or Hellenes, whose culture flourished on the Greek mainland, the Peloponnese, the Aegean Islands, and in colonies in Anatolia and Italy for a period from about 900 BC until the 1st century AD, w ...

, more specifically Beaux Arts, to match the other structures of the Museum Campus. The central aquarium building is octagonal, fronted by Doric columns and a formal staircase and topped by a

dome A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a m ...

. Aquatic motifs are worked in at every opportunity; tortoise shells, dolphins, octopuses, waves, and even the Trident of Poseidon can be found all over the aquarium's exterior and interior. Improving upon its predecessor inland aquarium, the Belle Isle Aquarium in Detroit, extensive use was made of designs by Mary Chase Perry Stratton, incorporating her custom-made Pewabic Pottery tile. The Oceanarium is done in a more modern style representing the Pacific Northwest, but one that blends with the older part of the building. "Whale Harbor", the Oceanarium's main tank, is backed by a wall of windows that look out onto

Exhibits and presentations

There are several permanent exhibits at Shedd: Waters of the World, Wonder of Water,

Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon (company), an American multinational technology company * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek myth ...

Rising, Wild Reef, and the Abbott

Oceanarium An oceanarium can be either a marine mammal park, such as Marineland of Canada, or a large-scale Public aquarium, aquarium, such as the Lisbon Oceanarium, presenting an ocean habitat with marine (ocean), marine animals, especially large ocean dwe ...

Waters of the World

The oldest galleries in the aquarium feature exhibits on oceans, rivers, islands and lakes, and Chicago's own local waters. Species on exhibit include American bullfrog, a giant Pacific octopus, American alligator,

lake sturgeon The lake sturgeon (''Huso fulvescens''), also known as the rock sturgeon, is a North American temperate freshwater fish, one of 27 species of sturgeon. Like other sturgeons, this species is a bottom feeder and has a partly cartilaginous skele ...

starfish Starfish or sea stars are Star polygon, star-shaped echinoderms belonging to the class (biology), class Asteroidea (). Common usage frequently finds these names being also applied to brittle star, ophiuroids, which are correctly referred to ...

, lined seahorses, and alligator snapping turtle.

Wonder of Water

The original Caribbean Reef exhibit was built in 1971, on the site of the aquarium's very first exhibit, the Tropical Pool. A feature of this exhibit is a diver that interacts with the animals while talking with the people. A part of the exhibit is a circular tank that allows for maximum walk-around viewing. It was one of the first habitats to display schooling fish. It is also home to the rescued

green sea turtle The green sea turtle (''Chelonia mydas''), also known as the green turtle, black (sea) turtle or Pacific green turtle, is a species of large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus ''Chelonia''. Its range exte ...

, Nickel, as well as Atlantic tarpons, cownose rays, redband parrotfish, Bonnethead sharks, a Green moray eel, and many more species. The exhibit is near the center of the first floor. It is adjacent to Amazon Rising, Waters of the World, and Wild Reef. The Caribbean Reef tank was closed in 2023 and will eventually be replaced with the Caribbean Reef tunnel connecting the two main sections of the aquarium building, while two new tanks will eventually replace the original Caribbean Reef tank. Wonder of Water opened in December 2024.

Amazon Rising

The Amazon Rising exhibit is an walkthrough flooded forest recreation of the Amazon River and the surrounding

jungle jungle is land covered with dense forest and tangled vegetation, usually in tropical climates. Application of the term has varied greatly during the past century. Etymology The word ''jungle'' originates from the Sanskrit word ''jaṅgala'' ...

. This exhibit contains 250 different

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

, and its highest water level is . Species from this area on exhibit include a green anaconda,

red-bellied piranha The red-bellied piranha, also known as the red piranha (''Pygocentrus nattereri''), is a Type (biology), type of piranha native to South America, found in the Amazon basin, Amazon, Paraguay River, Paraguay, Paraná River, Paraná and Essequibo Ri ...

electric eel The electric eels are a genus, ''Electrophorus'', of neotropical freshwater fish from South America in the family Gymnotidae, of which they are the only members of the subfamily Electrophorinae. They are known for their electric fish, ability ...

s, freshwater stingrays, dwarf caimans, caiman lizards, wattled jacanas, yellow-spotted river turtles, red-footed tortoises, yellow-footed tortoises, mata matas,

Arapaima The arapaima, pirarucu, or paiche is any large species of bonytongue in the genus ''Arapaima'' native to the Amazon Basin, Amazon and Essequibo River, Essequibo basins of South America. ''Arapaima'' is the type genus of the subfamily Arapaiminae ...

s, different species of South American

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class (biology), class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the Oviparity, laying of Eggshell, hard-shelled eggs, a high Metabolism, metabolic rate, a fou ...

fish A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...

, and

frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely semiaquatic group of short-bodied, tailless amphibian vertebrates composing the order (biology), order Anura (coming from the Ancient Greek , literally 'without tail'). Frog species with rough ski ...

s, and many more.

Wild Reef

In 2003, Shedd opened Wild Reef, a permanent exhibit located two levels below the main building. The exhibit contains a total of and recreates a Philippine coral reef on the Apo Island marine reserve, complete with living

coral Corals are colonial marine invertebrates within the subphylum Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact Colony (biology), colonies of many identical individual polyp (zoology), polyps. Coral species include the important Coral ...

, multiple species of fish and rays, and a collection of

shark Sharks are a group of elasmobranch cartilaginous fish characterized by a ribless endoskeleton, dermal denticles, five to seven gill slits on each side, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the ...

s such as

sandbar In oceanography, geomorphology, and geoscience, a shoal is a natural submerged ridge, bank, or bar that consists of, or is covered by, sand or other unconsolidated material, and rises from the bed of a body of water close to the surface or ...

zebra Zebras (, ) (subgenus ''Hippotigris'') are African equines with distinctive black-and-white striped coats. There are three living species: Grévy's zebra (''Equus grevyi''), the plains zebra (''E. quagga''), and the mountain zebra (''E. ...

blacktip reef shark The blacktip reef shark (''Carcharhinus melanopterus'') is a species of requiem shark, in the family (biology), family Carcharhinidae, which can be easily identified by the prominent black tips on its fins (especially on the first dorsal fin and ...

s, white-spotted guitarfish,

Spotted wobbegong The spotted wobbegong (''Orectolobus maculatus'') is a carpet shark in the family (biology), family Orectolobidae, endemic to Australia. It is a large, robust species, typically reaching in length. Coloured green, yellow, or brown, it has dist ...

s, and Japanese wobbegongs. The main draw of this attraction is a shark tank with high curved windows, allowing visitors a diver's-eye view. The Wild Reef exhibit also features a saltwater tank display area where coral is propagated and grown for conservation purposes.

Oceanarium

In 1991, Shedd Aquarium opened the Oceanarium (known since 2010 as the Abbott Oceanarium), a large addition to the aquarium that features marine mammals, including Pacific white-sided dolphins, beluga whales,

sea otter The sea otter (''Enhydra lutris'') is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern Pacific Ocean, North Pacific Ocean. Adult sea otters typically weigh between , making them the heaviest members of ...

s and

California sea lion The California sea lion (''Zalophus californianus'') is a coastal eared seal native to western North America. It is one of six species of sea lions. Its natural habitat ranges from southeast Alaska to central Mexico, including the Gulf of Califo ...

s, on the right side of the stairway that is next to the sea lions is an open estuary tank for several

cuttlefish Cuttlefish, or cuttles, are Marine (ocean), marine Mollusca, molluscs of the order (biology), suborder Sepiina. They belong to the class (biology), class Cephalopoda which also includes squid, octopuses, and nautiluses. Cuttlefish have a unique ...

and by the sea otter exhibit, is a large natural looking touch tank for tide pool creatures like crabs, sea cucumbers and sea anemones. The lower level of the Oceanarium allows underwater viewing of the beluga whales and the dolphins. It holds in total; the largest single tank is the "Whale Harbour".Shedd Aquarium, Exhibits

Retrieved 8 November 2013 The Oceanarium is the largest indoor marine mammal facility in the world. The Oceanarium also houses a 1,000-seat amphitheater which presents an educational marine mammal show. Several of the sea otters that lived in the aquarium in the past were rescued from the Exxon Valdez oil spill, ''Exxon Valdez'' oil spill in 1989. In the fall of 2008, Shedd's Oceanarium was closed for preventive sealing as well as administrative upgrades. The animals in the exhibit area were temporarily moved to other zoos and aquariums until the exhibit reopened in May 2009.

Polar Play Zone

The exhibit is an interactive play area for children and contains an underwater viewing area of the beluga whales, Pacific white-sided dolphins and sea otters. The exhibit also includes

Southern rockhopper penguin The western rockhopper penguin (''Eudyptes chrysocome''), traditionally known as the southern rockhopper penguin, is a species of rockhopper penguin that is sometimes considered distinct from the northern rockhopper penguin. It occurs in subanta ...

s and magellanic penguins, as well as 5 circular tanks for moon jellyfish and starfishes that are by an interactive submarine model. There is also a starfish touch pool.

Stingray Touch

Located on the aquarium's South Terrace, this exhibit allows guests to touch cownose rays as they swim around their outdoor exhibit and is open seasonally from May through October.

Plankton Revealed

The Plankton Revealed exhibit opened in July 2023 focuses on the importance of

plankton Plankton are the diverse collection of organisms that drift in Hydrosphere, water (or atmosphere, air) but are unable to actively propel themselves against ocean current, currents (or wind). The individual organisms constituting plankton are ca ...

and features flamboyant cuttlefish, white-spotted jellyfish,

brine shrimp ''Artemia'' is a genus of aquatic crustaceans also known as brine shrimp or ''Sea-Monkeys, sea monkeys''. It is the only genus in the Family (biology), family Artemiidae. The first historical record of the existence of ''Artemia'' dates back to t ...

and other small animals. This interactive exhibit is the aquarium's first to be fully bilingual, featuring Spanish translations.

4D Theater

The 4D Theater opened in 2009 as part of the renovation of the Abbott Oceanarium. The 4D experience includes a 3D film with interactive seats, high-tech audio and interactive elements like scents and bubbles. Films shown have included '' SpongeBob SquarePants 4-D'', '' Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs'', and '' The Polar Express'' (seasonal).

Previous special exhibits

Jellies

The "jellies" exhibit opened in April 2011, focusing on jellyfish, and the misconceptions surrounding them. It featured at least 10 species of jellyfish, including moon jellyfish, egg-yolk jellyfish, purple-striped jelly, Atlantic sea nettle, jelly blubber and upside-down jellyfish. The exhibit closed in 2015.

Underwater Beauty

This exhibit opened on May 25, 2018, and focused on the visual beauty of sea life, with sections called "Color", "Patterns", and "Rhythms." The exhibit featured 100 different species of fish and invertebrate, displayed to accent their visual qualities, including the ribbon eel, lagoon jelly,

flower hat jelly The flower hat jelly (''Olindias formosus'') is a species of hydrozoa, hydromedusa in the hydrozoan family Olindiidae. Although they look like a jellyfish, they actually belong in the class Hydrozoa, while true jellyfish belong in class Scyp ...

, peacock mantis shrimp, Weedy seadragon and longnose hawkfish. The exhibit closed on April 17, 2023.

Amphibians

The amphibian exhibit opened on May 15, 2015, and ran through January 1, 2018. It featured 40 different species of amphibians, including the gray tree frog, poison dart frog, fire-bellied toad, emperor newt,

axolotl The axolotl (; from ) (''Ambystoma mexicanum'') is a neoteny, paedomorphic salamander, one that Sexual maturity, matures without undergoing metamorphosis into the terrestrial adult form; adults remain Aquatic animal, fully aquatic with obvio ...

, tiger salamander, spring peeper, Japanese giant salamander,

cane toad The cane toad (''Rhinella marina''), also known as the giant neotropical toad or marine toad, is a large, Terrestrial animal, terrestrial true toad native to South America, South and mainland Central America, but which has been Introduced spe ...

, and the marbled salamander.

Seahorse Symphony

The Seahorse Symphony exhibit opened in 1998 and ran through 2003. It featured trumpetfish, snipefish, shrimpfish,

leafy seadragon The leafy seadragon (''Phycodurus eques'') or Glauert's seadragon, is a marine fish. It is the only member of the genus ''Phycodurus'' in the family Syngnathidae, which includes seadragons, pipefish, and seahorses. It is found along the s ...

, banded pipefish,

seahorse A seahorse (also written ''sea-horse'' and ''sea horse'') is any of 46 species of small marine Osteichthyes, bony fish in the genus ''Hippocampus''. The genus name comes from the Ancient Greek (), itself from () meaning "horse" and () meanin ...

, and the weedy seadragon.

Crabs!

Crabs! opened on May 17, 2005 as part of the Shedd Aquarium's 75th anniversary celebration. Until its closure on January 8, 2006, it was the largest exhibition of crabs in the United States.

Lizards and the Komodo King

From 2006 to 2008, this exhibit featured over 25 species of

reptiles Reptiles, as commonly defined, are a group of tetrapods with an ectothermic metabolism and Amniotic egg, amniotic development. Living traditional reptiles comprise four Order (biology), orders: Testudines, Crocodilia, Squamata, and Rhynchocepha ...

, including a

Komodo dragon The Komodo dragon (''Varanus komodoensis''), also known as the Komodo monitor, is a large reptile of the monitor lizard family Varanidae that is endemic to the Indonesian islands of Komodo (island), Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Dasami, and Gili ...

, green tree monitors,

Gila monster The Gila monster (''Heloderma suspectum'', ) is a species of venomous lizard native to the Southwestern United States and the northwestern Mexico, Mexican state of Sonora. It is a heavy, slow-moving reptile, up to long, and it is the only ve ...

s, caiman lizards,

gecko Geckos are small, mostly carnivorous lizards that have a wide distribution, found on every continent except Antarctica. Belonging to the infraorder Gekkota, geckos are found in warm climates. They range from . Geckos are unique among lizards ...

s, and a crocodile monitor.

Animals on exhibit, past and present

Australian Lungfish

Granddad Walter Chute, the aquarium's director from 1928 to 1964, wanted rare fish to attract the 10 million tourists expected to visit Chicago for the exposition in 1933. Granddad, an

Australian lungfish The Australian lungfish (''Neoceratodus forsteri''), also known as the Queensland lungfish, Burnett salmon and barramunda, is the only surviving member of the family Neoceratodontidae. It is one of only six extant lungfish species in the world. ...

, arrived at the Shedd in 1933, along with his mate, from

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

during the Century of Progress world exposition. During the expo's run, they attracted about 4.5 million visitors. At Granddad's death in 2017, he was claimed by the aquarium to be the oldest fish in any aquarium in the world. He was 109 years old; he weighed and was in length. His normal behavior was to lay like a sunken log on the bottom of his habitat.

Beluga whales

The Shedd Aquarium currently has eight living Belugas as of November 15, 2022: Naya (F), Beethoven (M), Kayavak (F), Bella (F), Aurek (M), Kimalu (F), Annik (M) and Atlas (M). Mauyak, Qannik, Miki, Kimalu, Annik: In 2000, Mauyak gave birth to Qannik, who was sent to Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma where he died in 2009. On August 16, 2007, Mauyak gave birth yet again to a male calf named Miki, the Inuit word for ″small″ bringing the total number of successful beluga calf births at the aquarium to four since 1999. Miki has been moved to the Mystic Aquarium in 2016. On August 27, 2012, Mauyak gave birth to a female calf, Kimalu. On July 3, 2019, Mauyak gave birth to a male calf, Annik, bringing the total number of belugas at Shedd to eight. Mauyak died on Saturday, November 12, 2022. Immiayuk, Kayavak: Kayavak is one of the most famous residents of the Oceanarium. The whale became an orphan at only nearly five months old after her mother, Immiayuk, died. Trainers fed Kayavak fish, cared for her day and night, taught her how to "be a whale", and she thrived to be the healthy adult she is today. Puiji, Bella, and Nunavik: In 2006, the beluga whale Puiji gave birth to a female calf, later named Bella. On December 14, 2009, she gave birth to a 162-pound, five-foot, four-inch male calf. Although it was a difficult birth, the calf survived and debuted to the public on Sunday, January 24, 2010. He has since been named "Nunavik" meaning "friendly, beautiful, and wild". Nunavik currently lives at the

as of 2016. Puiji died on Wednesday, October 26, 2011, following a seizure after having been undergoing treatment for an undisclosed medical condition over the course of several months. Naluark: Naluark was transferred to Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration in Mystic, Connecticut, in October 2011. He has since been moved to

SeaWorld Orlando SeaWorld Orlando is an animal theme park located in Orlando, Florida. Although separately gated, it is often promoted with neighboring parks Discovery Cove and Aquatica as well as Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, all of which are owned and operated ...

in 2016. Naya: Naya first arrived at Shedd Aquarium in 1992. She has since had four calves. Her first was a stillborn in 2002. She then gave birth on December 20, 2009 to a 162-pound, five-foot two-inch male calf, though the calf died two days later from complications during birth. In 2020, Naya gave birth to premature twins. The first calf, a female born head first, survived being born. The second calf, born tail first, was a stillborn. Unfortunately, because the calves were premature twins, the first calf had multiple health issues and died 15 days later despite being in the care of staff members.

Alaskan sea otters

Yaku (son of Kenai) was euthanized on February 26, 2022, due to failing health brought on by a tumor in his chest. Kenai ( Exxon Valdez oil spill, ''Exxon Valdez'' oil spill survivor) was euthanized on October 9, 2012, due to failing health brought on by advancing years. Kachemak (oldest sea otter in a North American Aquarium/Zoo) was euthanized on August 24, 2013, due to failing health related to age. Seldovia (M) arrived at the Shedd Aquarium on November 29th, 2023. He is currently the only Alaskan sea otter at Shedd and shares his habitat with the Southern sea otters.

Southern sea otters

Luna (F), Cooper (M), Watson (M), Suri (F), Willow (F).

Pacific white-sided dolphins

The aquarium has seven white sided dolphins: Loke (F), Kri (F), Katrl (F), Munchkin (F), Makoa (M), Elelo (M), and Harmony (F). Males Sagu and Makoa were conceived by Li'i at the Miami Seaquarium when Piquet was on a breeding loan there. Piquet gave birth to Sagu on Memorial Day weekend in 2012. Piquet gave birth to her second calf, Makoa, on June 1, 2015. Piquet was moved to Miami Seaquarium in early 2018 for a breeding loan and Ipo was transferred to Shedd to take her place. Piquet was later transferred back in May of 2019. In August of that year, she miscarried a calf sired by Li'i. Ipo and Piquet were moved to SeaWorld San Antonio in October of 2020. Sagu died in May of 2021. Kri has lived at the Shedd Aquarium on and off since 1991. She was transferred to the Mystic Aquarium in 2009 due to construction on Shedd's oceanarium, and the Miami Seaquarium in 2013 for a breeding loan. Kri had a stillborn calf in 2003 that was sired through artificial insemination. Katrl first arrived along with Piquet to Shedd Aquarium in 1993. On April 18, 2016, Katrl gave birth to a male calf sired by Li'i. The calf was placed on display on June 18, 2016, and was named Kukdlaa, meaning "Bubbles" in the Tlingit language. Kukdlaa died in 2019. Harmony was born to Katrl and Sagu on August 31, 2020, hours after a rare twin beluga birth. Loke and her then 5-year-old son Elelo arrived to Shedd Aquarium on August 3, 2023 after living off-display at the Miami Seaquarium for Elelo's entire life. The move was a result of several USDA reports that noted Miami Seaquarium's poor facility state. It is unknown if the two will be transferred back, as the Miami Seaquarium's remaining Pacific white-sided dolphin, Li'i, was transferred to SeaWorld San Antonio in September of 2023.

Green sea turtle

Nickel Nickel is a female

who resides at the Caribbean Reef exhibit located in directly in front of the main lobby. Nickel was rescued on Florida's Gulf Coast area in 1998, where she was struck by the propellers of a motorboat. This accident damaged her shell and paralyzed her from the waist down causing her to have buoyancy problems. Researchers thought that she could no longer live in the wild so she was brought to Shedd in the spring of 2003. Upon her arrival, she went through several medical examinations, including an x-ray. The x-ray revealed a 1975

nickel Nickel is a chemical element; it has symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel is a hard and ductile transition metal. Pure nickel is chemically reactive, but large pieces are slo ...

lodged in her throat which is where she received the name, Nickel. Nickel is one of the many rescued animals that reside in the Shedd. She serves as an example to many people of the effects human activities can have on wildlife.

North American river otter

Rio Euthanized on October 29, 2013, due to age related health issues, Rio was 21 and lived well past the median life expectancy of a North American river otter.

Grouper

Bubba Bubba, a male Queensland grouper, was believed to be the first fish to undergo

chemotherapy Chemotherapy (often abbreviated chemo, sometimes CTX and CTx) is the type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs (list of chemotherapeutic agents, chemotherapeutic agents or alkylating agents) in a standard chemotherapy re ...

. He was introduced to the aquarium in 1987 and died in 2006.

Tarpon

Deadeye Deadeye, a female Atlantic tarpon, was the oldest fish to reside at the Caribbean Reef in the aquarium. She was first introduced to the aquarium in 1935 and died in 1998.

Conservation and research

The Daniel P. Haerther Center for Conservation and Research helps to provide on-site research at the aquarium. They study topics such as animal health and behavior, nutrition, animal training, reproduction and genetics. The

International Union for Conservation of Nature The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. Founded in 1948, IUCN has become the global authority on the stat ...

(IUCN) designated the Shedd Aquarium as its Center for Species Survival:Freshwater, to study and promote the conservation and restoration of global

freshwater Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. The term excludes seawater and brackish water, but it does include non-salty mi ...

systems, and strategies for freshwater species survival. The aquarium also partners with conservation efforts in the

and

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...

. The Bahamian rock iguana is one of the most endangered lizards in the world. Since 1994, the Shedd Aquarium has been studying and providing conservation plans for this iguana. The Shedd Aquarium is now recognized as the lead authority on this iguana. In Southeast Asia, the Shedd partners with Project Seahorse to monitor and map out the

populations in Southeast Asia. Since 1991, the Shedd Aquarium has been involved with research focused on beluga whales. They focus on the animal handling procedures to ensure the animals’ welfare. The aquarium conducts most of their beluga whale research in

Bristol Bay Bristol Bay (, ) is the easternmost arm of the Bering Sea, at 57° to 59° North 157° to 162° West in Southwest Alaska. Bristol Bay is 400 km (250 mi) long and 290 km (180 mi) wide at its mouth. A number of rivers flow in ...

in southwest

Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...

Gallery

Acuario Shedd, Chicago, Illinois, Estados Unidos, 2012-10-21, DD 05.jpg, Main entrance at night. Chicago - Shedd aquarium (2379489379).jpg,

Crocodile Crocodiles (family (biology), family Crocodylidae) or true crocodiles are large, semiaquatic reptiles that live throughout the tropics in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia. The term "crocodile" is sometimes used more loosely to include ...

in one of the exhibits. Shedd 0056.jpg, Amphilophus citrinellus. Post0199 - Flickr - NOAA Photo Library.jpg, Community event co-hosted with

NOAA The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA ) is an American scientific and regulatory agency charged with forecasting weather, monitoring oceanic and atmospheric conditions, charting the seas, conducting deep-sea exploratio ...

celebrating 200 years of the agency. Chicago - Shedd aquarium (2379489501).jpg, Southern rockhoppers and gentoos at the penguin habitat. Diver in Caribbean Reef tank at Shedd Aquarium, 2009-11-15.jpg, A diver in the ''Caribbean Reef'' exhibit tank. Wattled Jacana Shedd Aquarium.jpg, Wattled jacana (''Jacana jacana'') at the ''Amazon Rising'' exhibit. Shedd aquarium fg02.jpg, ''Floating Meadow'' exhibit. Wild Reef at Shedd Aquarium 3, 2009-11-15.jpg, ''Wild Reef'' exhibit. Shedd Display.jpg, ''Beauty of the Amazon'' exhibit. Shedd aquarium fg03.jpg, Educational exhibit. Illinois - Shedd Aquarium - 20220509101951.jpg, Octopus sculpture in the gift store. Comb Jelly, Shedd Aquarium, Chicago.webmhd.webm, Video of a Comb jelly.

References

General and cited references

Oceanarium Press Kit

External links

* {{Authority control 1930 establishments in Illinois Aquaria in Illinois Buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Chicago Museum Campus National Historic Landmarks in Chicago Oceanaria in the United States Tourist attractions in Chicago Cultural institutions and organizations in Chicago