Artificial Coral Reef Tunnel Under Construction At Aquarium

By Barbara Russo

The coral reef tunnel in Ocean Wonders: Sharks! will have artificial corals that create a beautiful reef-like home for the animals that will live there. The above picture shows a model made by staff from WCS’s Exhibit and Graphic Arts Department. Coral creation starts with a small, six-inch clay-like model like this, followed by a precise process of designing, crafting, and installing life-size pieces into the building. Once complete, our coral reef will be a colorful world filled with replica corals of different kinds and majestic marine life that will amaze all who visit!

The below photo shows a cownose ray gracefully gliding through its Glover’s Reef habitat at the New York Aquarium. Rays such as this one will be among the 115 species of sharks, skates, rays and other fish that will live in Ocean Wonders: Sharks! Other kinds of elasmobranchs – cartilaginous fish with several rows of teeth – that will be on exhibit include sand tiger sharks, sandbar sharks, nurse sharks, and roughtail rays.

To find out more about the Ocean Wonders: Sharks! exhibit as well as new developments at the New York Aquarium check out the WCS Newsroom Picture Blog.