The National Museum of Marine Biology and
Aquarium (NMMBA; Chinese: 國立海洋生物博物館;
pinyin: Guólì Hǎiyáng Shēngwù Bówùguǎn)
is an aquarium located in Checheng Township,
Pingtung County, Taiwan.
== Overview ==
Planning for the museum began in 1991, and
the museum opened on 25 February 2000.
In addition to the museum, the park surrounding
the museum is an outdoor water park (the largest
in Taiwan).The total area of the park is 96.81
hectares (968,100 m2), while the museum itself
covers 35.81 hectares (358,100 m2).
The museum has three main exhibits: Waters
of Taiwan, Coral Kingdom Pavilion and World
Waters Pavilion.
The museum also has an 81-metre (266 ft) underwater
moving track, the largest underwater tunnel
in Asia.
The building also has several major divisions
including the experiment center for aquatic
life, public facilities, research facilities,
maintenance facilities, an international conference
center, and an academic research center.
In 2015, NMMBA was rated fourth best of its
kind in Asia by TripAdvisor, receiving 4.5
out of 5 stars.
== Exhibitions ==
The museum has three main exhibitions:
=== Waters of Taiwan ===
This exhibit hall features aquatic animals
native to Taiwan, from waters as small as
rivers to as vast as the open sea.
The exhibits are themed after the water systems
of Taiwan, starting from the river and the
reservoir to the intertidal zone and finally
to the open sea.
There is also a touch pool featuring marine
invertebrates in the intertidal exhibit area.
Animals on display include tilapia, Japanese
eel, trout, cuttlefish, nurse sharks, Indo-Pacific
tarpon, yellowfin tuna, spotted eagle rays,
and a whale shark.
The main ocean tanks contains 5,700,000 litres
(1,500,000 US gal) of sea water, has a 16.5
m × 4.85 m (54.1 ft × 15.9 ft) acrylic viewing
window and an 80-metre (260 ft) shark tunnel.
=== Coral Kingdom ===
The Coral Kingdom exhibit hall shows different
coral reef habitats, from shallow waters to
deep oceans.
Differing environments based on sea depth,
pressure, terrain, and light are shown.
An underwater tunnel and a sunken ship are
also part of the exhibit hall.
At the end of exhibit hall is an underwater
tunnel and viewing panels showcasing the aquarium's
four beluga whales.
It is also possible to see the belugas from
above water via a pavilion on the second floor.
Animals on display include blacktip reef sharks,
lionfish, moray eels, cownose rays, unicornfish,
butterflyfish, and garden eels.
Beluga whales are housed in an exhibit with
a tunnel that allows underwater viewing.
=== Waters of the World ===
This exhibit covers ancient, Precambrian oceans
as well as ocean formation.
== Research ==
Besides public exhibitions, there are two
research buildings and a marine station in
the museum, dedicated to research in marine
biology and ecology, aquaculture, propagation
and conservation of marine fauna and flora.
Research carried out at NMMBA includes the
effects of pollution on coral and fish and
the effects of light on the developmental
expression of fluorescent proteins.In 2014,
NMMBA became the first institution to breed
the ringed pipefish (Dunckerocampus dactyliophorus)
in captivity.
The museum used underwater caves and fissured
corals to provide an environment for the fish
to hatch their eggs.
In the 11th month after hatching, the first
offspring began mating.In 2018, the museum
teamed up with the Frozen Ark global conservation
project for freezing the DNA of local species
living at the sea of Pingtung County.
== Controversies ==
In March 2013, Environment and Animal Society
of Taiwan (EAST) accused NMMBA of keeping
its whale shark in a tank that was too small
for a deep-water animal.
The shark, which is labeled “vulnerable”
by the International Union for Conservation
of Nature, had been kept at the aquarium since
2004.
EAST claimed that the animal has scars on
its tail from hitting coral and the sides
of the tank.
An official at the aquarium stated that there
were plans to tag release the shark in the
near future.On 10 July 2013, the aquarium
was again criticized for releasing the shark,
without a GPS tracking device, in a manner
that caused it to be stranded on the beach
twice before being towed out to sea.
According to an EAST spokesman, "What the
aquarium did was not release the whale shark,
the aquarium actually abandoned the shark".
EAST expressed concern about the shark's ability
to fend for itself after eight years in captivity
and the lack of a tracking device that would
have allowed scientists to follow its progress.
According to the head of NMMBA, Wei-hsien
Wang, it "didn't occur to us that it would
refuse to swim away but rather would linger
near the shore".
== See also ==
List of museums in Taiwan
