Aquarium Conservation and Research

The Aquarium of the Pacific actively participates in a wide variety of conservation and research projects aimed at enhancing the understanding of animals in zoos and aquariums and the conservation of species in the wild.

Some of these efforts take the form of field work, such as our whale identification and sea turtle tracking programs and projects undertaken by our scientific divers; others involve studying the animals in the Aquarium’s collection. The Aquarium actively seeks partnerships with universities, non-profit organizations, government agencies, and other individuals or organizations with a shared interest.

The Aquarium has a policy in place to manage collaborative research projects with scientists and researchers from other institutions. By offering its resources, including animals and exhibits, for use in scientific research, the Aquarium helps contribute to our collective knowledge about marine life and improve conservation efforts.

Scientists and researchers can submit a request to conduct research at the Aquarium, and proposals are reviewed by the Aquarium’s Scientific Advisory Committee. This committee ensures that projects do not threaten the health and welfare of the Aquarium’s animals or staff, do not have a negligible effect on the visitor experience at the Aquarium, and support the Aquarium’s mission. Research activities must conform to research policy and guidelines set out by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

Since our founding in 1998, the Aquarium has participated in a diverse array of over 50 conservation and research projects, from assisting a researcher studying the role of smell in the lives of Crested Auklet birds to helping graduate students study the abundance of round stingrays in local waters.