Tennessee Aquarium to Open Freshwater Biodiversity and Conservation Research Institute [Slide Show]
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THE NEW FACILITY Officially announced today, the Tennessee Aquarium’s new 1,300-square-meter facility will be the first in the U.S. to exclusively focus on freshwater biodiversity and conservation research...
SURGEON FIELD RESEARCH Bernard Kuhajda, a conservation biologist at the Tennessee Aquarium, studies an endangered lake sturgeon in its natural habitat. “Lake sturgeon were once plentiful across eastern North America, but a combination of overharvest[ing], poor water quality and widespread construction of dams led to their decline in the Southeast during the 1960s,” George says. Image courtesy Thom Benson, Tennessee Aquarium...
FRY RELEASE A Tennessee Aquarium employee prepares to release lab-raised fish into the wild. Aquarium captive-breeding efforts supplement the population of the endangered Barrens topminnow ( Fundulus julisia ). Image courtesy Thom Benson, Tennessee Aquarium...
A CLOSER LOOK A student volunteer examines captive-reared shiners before their release into the wild. The Tennessee Aquarium staff works closely with local schools and community organizations to educate the public about local conservation issues...
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STURGEON CAPTIVE BREEDING Aquarium staffers check on captive-reared lake sturgeon that will eventually be released into the wild. “Over the past 14 years, since releases began, we’ve returned over 125,000 lake sturgeon to Tennessee waters,” George says...
STURGEON RELEASE Bernard Kuhajda and local students release captive-reared lake sturgeon into the wild. Image courtesy Thom Benson, Tennessee Aquarium
BROOK TROUT EGGS A close-up photo of southern Appalachian brook trout eggs reared in captivity for release into the wild. “Southern Appalachian brook trout are considered distinct from brook trout in other parts of their range, with genetic signatures that reflect a high degree of differentiation over the many years they’ve spent in the southern Appalachians,” George says...
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