Recent News
PwC joins pioneering Ocean Tech MissionWednesday, November 09, 2016
An Ocean Tech Mission to track “five iconic marine species” in Bermuda to help inform habitat protection at a policy level has been boosted by the news that professional service firm PwC will become a sponsor and mission partner.
Welcome to Callista
Friday, November 04, 2016
Generous donors have joined forces to help buy a new boat for the Bermuda Zoological Society.
Exploring mysteries of the deep
Thursday, November 03, 2016
Scientists often tell us we know more about the surface of the moon than we do about the bottom of our oceans but Bermuda is at the heart of a mission that intends to change that.
Zoological Society Receives New Boat ‘Callista’
Thursday, November 03, 2016
The Bermuda Zoological Society recently purchased a new 30ft Beachcat boat, Callista, thanks to generous donations from Mrs. Diana Bergquist, the Stempel Foundation, Clarien Bank, Somers Isle Shipping and RUBiS.
Turtle project completes 49th year of research
Thursday, October 27, 2016
The Bermuda Turtle Project — a study of seas turtles in Bermuda waters — has completed its 49th year of research.
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Latest News
All the latest updates and news from the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum, and Zoo, one of Bermuda's leading visitor attractions!
Excerpt from WILD News April 2018
When new fish arrive at BAMZ, they must first undergo a minimum of 30 days quarantine in order to diagnose any marine parasites which, if left untreated, can infect the other inhabitants of the aquarium hall tanks.
On Thursday, 22nd March, Patrick Talbot, Curator of the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo, with the assistance of Marine Collector, Jorge Sanchez, conducted the examination of the quarantined blue parrotfish, queen parrotfish, and rainbow parrotfish before their transfer into the display tanks.
Blue parrotfish going under anesthetic
Blue parrotfish being removed from anesthetic
Before each fish was examined, they were first anesthetized in a solution rendering them unconscious and insensible to any pain. The length of time it took for each fish to go to sleep, was also the approximate amount of time it would remain sedated, giving Mr. Talbot an idea of how much time he had to take samples from the fish.
Blue parrotfish having its gills clipped
Queen parrotfish going under anesthetic
Each fish went through the same procedure; after sedation, they were removed from the water and placed on a cushion wrapped in plastic. Mr. Talbot quickly took a scale scrape, and a gill clipping - basically taking a sample of the skin mucous covering the scales and a tiny gill biopsy. The fish was then placed in a tub of fresh water, and Mr. Sanchez bubbled oxygen in the water surrounding the gills. The fresh water acted as final medication of sorts, as it would kill most external parasites (should there be any) and the bubbled gas helped ensure the fish had oxygen during its recovery from the anesthetic. After a few minutes, the animal was responsive and returned to a separate tank to await results of the procedure.
Rainbow parrotfish being measured
Mr. Sanchez running oxygen over the Rainbow parrotfish gills to aid in its recovery from the anesthetic
Once all the fish were sampled, Mr. Talbot took the scale scrapings and the gill clippings into the laboratory to be examined under a microscope for parasites infections, such as protozoa. If a parasite was found on either sample, the fish would have to go through another two weeks of quarantine and further treatment.
Gill clippings on a slide ready to be examined under a microscope
Gill clippings being examined
400x magnification of gill clippings
Thankfully, upon completion of the examination, all three fish were parasite free and received a clean bill of health. The queen and blue parrotfish were placed in the parrotfish habitat in the Aquarium Hall, and the rainbow parrotfish was placed in the North Rock habitat.
Rainbow parrotfish in the North Rock habitat
Queen parrotfish in the parrotfish habitat