Tuesday, October 05, 1999
Baby stingrays born Sunday
Life goes on after warehouse fire
BY TERRY FLYNN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
This Southern stingray, one of four born Saturday at the Oceanic Adventures Newport Aquarium, is measured by senior aquatic biologist Linda Hanna.
(Patrick Reddy photos)
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NEWPORT — The Oceanic Adventures Newport Aquarium celebrated the arrival of four baby Southern stingrays on the same weekend the aquarium lost four fish in a fire at the warehouse used for quarantining and testing.
The rays were born Sundayafternoon, the offspring of a 4-foot-wide, 50-pound female stingray that arrived here from Florida waters already pregnant.
“They're a little bit smaller than I expected,” senior aquatic biologist Linda Hanna said Mondayafter measuring (average 4-5 inches wide) and weighing (less than a pound) the babies. “But they were also born several weeks earlier than we expected. They are very healthy.”
The mother had been one of several Southern stingrays swimming in the 380,000-gallon Sur rounded By Sharks tank. She was removed to a holding area when it was confirmed she was close to having the babies, and now she will return to the main tank.
Aquarium spokeswoman Lisa Popyk said Monday that Newport city officials are working with aquarium biologists to find a new building to house the quarantine tanks and other equipment, including water-testing facilities, that were salvaged from the Saturday fire.
Aquatic biologist Mark Lewin and others at the aquarium have set up temporary tanks and holding pens for fish and turtles in rear areas behind the larger shark and Amazon exhibits until a permanent facility is established.
“We had some miracles here with births, and we had a miracle at the warehouse by being able to save almost all of our animals,” Ms. Popyk said. “We can't say too much about the work of the Newport Fire Department.”
Firefighters who battled the blaze, which started in the older portion of the warehouse owned by businessman David Hosea, covered the aquarium's tanks and pens with tarps to protect the fish from falling debris, smoke and water.
“They (firefighters) were on the phone with aquarium director of husbandry Juan Sabalones, asking him which tanks to cover first and what to move,” Ms. Popyk said. “They hadn't practiced anything like this, they just knew they needed to protect the fish. About 200 fish were removed unharmed.”
Fire officials said a fire wall separating the old warehouse area from the aquarium portion, which made up about 25 percent of the facility, prevented flames from reaching the tanks and fish.
That wall had been constructed for Mr. Hosea by off-duty Newport firefighters, according to Ms. Popyk. The aquarium also celebrated the births of several African cichlids and about 60 potbelly sea horses in the past week.
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