Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Quote of the Week "It is a newspaper's duty to print the news and raise hell." - The Chicago Tribune (1861) Page 6 "CIlC 031TlCCOCk Wednesday, Juiy 12,2000 whtith kv©ujA<U!v&..A© \\>& aaa .SOUTH CAROLINA Aquarium Oh CHAftttlTOR HAfttOI Story and photos by Ann Marie Miani etCetera Editor When my parents told me they were coming down from Con necticut to visit the week of the Fourth of July, I sat in my dorm room wondering what I was going to do with them for Five days. Well, I thought we could go to a Bombers game, or to Finlay Park, or to the Riveibanks Zoo. Then it hit: the South Carolina Aquarium. Charleston -The South Carolina Aquarium, located on the Charleston Harbor, is dedicated to the conservation of South Carolina aquatic life. The aquarium is split up into five exhibits showcasing aquatic life from the mountains to the sea. The exhibits are mountain forest, the Pied mont, coastal plain, the coast, and the ocean. The Mountain Forest The Mountain Forest is the first exhibition in the aquarium. It’s a walk-through exhibit through a mountain ravine cascade. The voyage starts at the foothill streams filled with smallmouth bass. The streams become fast-moving brooks and provide a home for rainbow trout and other fish. Habitat niches were recreated for smaller animals, such as sala manders, toads, bog turtles and water spiders. ) give me mountain ror bove: Baby sea turtle at the South Carolina Aquarium, ight Scuba diver cleans the rocks in the ocean tanks. He surrounded by flounders and other ocean life. American amgaxors in me auigaxor exnimi in me coastal uaiiery. n snows a repuca ot an amgaior nesx in a Tresnwater marsh. It provides a home for young alligators. est exhibit a realistic atmosphere, the visitor feels the cool air and mist that are common to that type of environment. Ledges provide a place for plants, such as Tulip Polar, Hemlock and Maple trees to grow and provides shelter for various birds, such as the Carolina Wen. The birds are allowed to fly freely around the Forest because of a special design and a glass roof. The exhibit is colored by many flowers typical of the Mountain re gions, such as the hydrangeas, dogwoods, mountains laurels and many other wildflowers. The Piedmont The Piedmont is the next exhibit on the voyage through South Car olina. It’s distingiushed by dammed rivers and reservoirs that provide hydroelectric power for the state. This exhibit shows the various types of aquatic life of the Piedmont and shows the benefits of reservoirs. There is a free-flowing river environment that includes a number of fish. Catfish, white bass, darters, and blue gills are all are all incor porated in this environment. There are giant fly models suspended from the ceilings Mutlimedia presentations are included in this exhibit, as well. There are video presentations about aquatic insects and fly fishing. TTie Coastal Plain The Coastal Plain consists of swamps and marshes, and, it’s a transition area between the land and the water, characterized by flood ing and droughts. There are four parts to this particluar exhibit: the Ed ucation Center, the Brownwater Swamp, the Blackwater Swamp and Swamp Snakes. The Education Center is an interactive area that is open to both students and visitors, alike. It’s a 10-foot open gallery where educators can prepare their classes for the exhibit. The Brownwater Swamp is recreated as a river swamp in flood ing conditions. The water is a brownish color and contains pygmy sun fish, shiners and mosquitofish, among others. The Blackwater Swamp shows the sights, sounds and atmosphere of the area at night. This type of exhibit is unique to the South Caroli na Aquarium. Mini-dioramas of animals are at the beginning of the -- Fish SEE PAGE 7 South Carolina Aquarium Hours • July-August 9a.m.-7p.m. September-October 9a.m.-5p.m. March-June 9a.m.-5p.m. November-February 10a.m.-5p.m. PmCMQ Adults -o Siiyu