6/6/13

She's baaa-ack: Myrtle returns to the Giant Ocean Tank

Myrtle, our resident green sea turtle, is a fixture in the Giant Ocean Tank. She's been part of this bustling Caribbean community for the past 40-plus years. And there's no doubt who is large and in charge here. So it was a momentous occasion when she returned to the exhibit after several months in the Tropical Ocean Exhibit.

She definitely hit the water swimming, so to speak. Watch her explore the new exhibit, find new places to nap and resume her reign as queen of the Giant Ocean Tank.



There are still some animals in the Tropical Ocean Exhibit, but not for long... only a couple more weeks to move all the animals from this temporary exhibit to the Giant Ocean Tank. See classic posts about Myrtle's home during construction here and here.

Here are some fun facts about the queen since she's returned to the newly renovated GOT:
  • Her new favorite nap nook is about halfway up the spiral, wedged in with the new lettuce corals. It looks pretty uncomfortable, but she seems to like it.
  • She likes her back scratched, and if there aren't any divers for her to employ, she'll do it herself by wedging her shell under a part of the reef and rocking back and forth.
  • Her favorite vegetables are Brussels sprouts, like always.  Also has a weakness for squid.
  • She averages about 560 pounds.
  • She's always underfoot, erm... fin.
And here are some classic posts about Myrtle during her reign:
- Chris

6 comments:

  1. Is it possible that Myrtle looked excited in that video? I think I saw a smile!!

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  2. Welcome back Myrtle & the GOT!

    I'm sure the new look is great and can't wait to see it!!!

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  3. Interesting! I hope that everyone's wekend is both great and safe! I agree with you, Anonymous. Mrtyle does look like she's smiling.

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  4. Are there any studies about turtle intelligence? Not trying to project, but Myrtle seems very aware of what is going on, and seems to have a willingness to interact with humans. Is this true for others in the species?

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    Replies
    1. Want to see how smart she is? Here's a video from her facebook page of a training session.
      http://goo.gl/j2DL9

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  5. Myrtle is so adorable !

    Kathrin

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