"Museum and Aquarium 2004" Smith's Parish Travelogue by grandmaR

The 140,000-gallon signature exhibit is very difficult to take a picture of because of reflections from exhibits on the other side of the room. It is a living replica of one of the island's natural coral reefs.

The BAMZ website says that you can even climb into a Plexiglas bubble that provides the feeling of diving in a coral cave but we did not see this. Based on a local habitat famed for large schools of grazing fishes, purple sea fans and gardens of brain,star and branch corals, the North Rock exhibit features barracuda, sharks, and groupers.

Another aquarium tank

We went to the zoo first because it was closing at 4:30, and saved the aquarium until last. We couldn't figure out how to get back in and finally went through a door marked for strollers that couldn't get through the exit gate. That apparently was the correct answer.

Local lobster

This is a Caribbean lobster. They don't have the big claws that the northern lobsters have.

Lobsters don't turn red until they are cooked.

Octapus

With over 200 native species of colourful fishes and delicate invertebrates like this octapus, Aquarium visitors explore Bermuda's diverse marine communities in numerous naturalistc displays, from the deep open ocean and spectacular coral reefs to shallow coastal waters.

Aquarium tank with fish school

The BAMZ website says "Look for parrotfish, jacks, groupers, triggerfish, angelfish and squirrelfish and Eels."

Harbor Seal Tank

I don't know if this Harbour Seal, is Archie, Charlotte, Calico, Ariel or Pebbles. We missed the daily seal feeding at 4:00 pm (There are others at 9:00 am, and 1:30 pm daily.)

Limestone uses.

The M in BAMZ stands for the Natural History Museum. Exhibits trace Bermuda's geological formation and ecological development, and highlight the island's role in the migration of Humpback Whales, pelagic fishes, marine turtles and numerous species of birds.

This exhibit shoes the cutting of the limestone for making a roof to collect rainwater.

Bad Seeds

This exhibit shows how invasive species are crowding out the native and endemic plants and animals.

We understand about the starling, and the house sparrow which are destroying the native bluebird nests, but probably don't know as much about the seeds of some of the worst of the invasive species Brazil pepper, Indian Laurel and the Asparagus fern which are spread by the starling.

The European garden snail came to Bermuda by accident in 1928 and the Rosy Wolf Snail which is a carnivorous snail brought in to control it. But the Rosy Wolf Snail eats all snails which has resulted in the virtual extinction of the Bermuda Girdled snail.