Aquarium of the Bay Celebrates Three New Exhibits with One Grand Opening

Major New Exhibits Feature Jellies, Giant Pacific Octopus and Land Animals

SAN FRANCISCO, March 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Focusing on the animals that visitors
most want to see, Aquarium of the Bay will debut three new exhibits on April
4, 2009. Jellies more graceful than prima ballerinas; octopuses smarter than
most other animals in the sea, and a colorful array of local and exotic land
creatures will star in engaging new exhibits featuring animal interaction,
touchable experiences and other opportunities for interactive exploration.

"This marks the first time that Aquarium of the Bay has featured land
animals," stated CEO John Frawley. "While our overall focus remains on the
marine animals of the San Francisco Bay and nearby waters, we feel the
addition of these new terrestrial species will spark visitors' awareness of
the growing environmental challenges that are impacting all types of wildlife
across the globe."

PG&E Bay Lab: http://www.aquariumofthebay.com/pgelab.aspx?n=544273
The largest new exhibit is PG&E Bay Lab, a 1,200 square foot exhibit featuring
land-dwelling animals as nature's ambassadors, promoting energy conservation
to protect their habitats from the potential impact of climate change. The
exhibit focuses primarily on native species, along with a few critters from
other regions, giving guests the opportunity to guess which are local and
which could not thrive in the Bay Area. Visitors will have the chance to
touch many of the animals, including Blue-Tongued Skinks, African Pygmy
Hedgehogs, Chinchillas and California King Snakes. Other
get-up-close-but-do-not-touch animals include Pink-toed Tarantulas, Pacific
Tree Frogs, Honey Bees and Sunburst Diving Beetles. Individual land animal
exhibits and touch pools holding sharks, bat rays and invertebrates will
converge with the PG&E Bay Lab station, featuring animal interactions, science
experiments and special presentations throughout each day. PG&E Bay Lab is
sponsored by Pacific Gas and Electric Company.

Graceful Jellies: http://www.aquariumofthebay.com/about.aspx?q=10051
An exhibit of Brown Sea Nettles and Moon Jellies will greet visitors as they
enter the Aquarium's main "Under the Bay" experience. A 725-gallon,
floor-to-ceiling cylinder tank will display the moon jellies, and a
wall-mounted 740-gallon gallon kriesel tank will showcase the brown sea
nettles. Jellies are made up of 95% water and have no heart, brains, bones or
other organs. What they lack in body parts, they make up in charm - their
graceful gliding earns them top marks with Aquarium visitors.

Octopus Intelligence: http://www.aquariumofthebay.com/pgelab.aspx?n=544273
The grotto-like Giant Pacific Octopus exhibit's main tank features a pop-up
window where smaller explorers - and those willing to stoop - can crawl inside
for a unique peek. Giant Pacific Octopuses are underwater magicians that can
change color within a fraction of a second; produce an ink smokescreen for
avoiding predators, and find escape routes through any space wider than their
beak. Also on display are some of the octopus's neighbors including Pacific
Spiny Lumpsuckers, Sculpins and Dungeness crabs.

About Aquarium of the Bay
Aquarium of the Bay is a unique nature center dedicated to creating
experiences that inspire conservation of the San Francisco Bay and all marine
environments. It is the only aquarium featuring exhibits focused specifically
on the rich and diverse aquatic life and distinctive ecosystems of the Bay and
its nearby waters. The Aquarium is accredited by the Association of Zoos and
Aquariums, and certified as a Green Business by the city of San Francisco.
Additional information is available at www.aquariumofthebay.com.

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click
appropriate link.

Christina Slager
https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=76851
John Frawley |
https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=76850

SOURCE Aquarium of the Bay

Kati Schmidt of Aquarium of the Bay, +1-415-623-5340,
katis@aquariumofthebay.com