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Tokyo Sea Life Park

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Tokyo Sea Life Park
Map
Map
Date opened1989-10-10
LocationKasai Rinkai Park, Tokyo
Land area15,799m²[1]
No. of animals85,000[1]
No. of species940[1]
Volume of largest tank2,200,000 litres (581,000 US gal)[1]
Total volume of tanks4,600,000 litres (1,215,000 US gal)[1]
Annual visitors2 Million
MembershipsJAZA
Major exhibitsPacific bluefin tuna, giant kelp
ManagementTokyo Zoological Park Society[1]
Public transit accessKasai-Rinkai Park Station
Websitewww.tokyo-zoo.net/english/kasai/index.html

Tokyo Sea Life Park (葛西臨海水族園, kasai-rinkai-suizoku-en) is a public aquarium located in Kasai Rinkai Park, Edogawa Ward, Tokyo. Its predecessor was the Ueno Aquarium in the Ueno Zoo. The building was designed by Yoshio Taniguchi.[1] The aquarium is accredited as a museum-equivalent facility under the Museum Act of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.[2]

The park can be accessed from Kasai-Rinkai Park Station on the Keiyō Line.

History

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Tokyo Sea Life Park has its origins in the Uonozoki (literally "fish-viewing room"), the first public aquarium in Japan that was opened in 1882.[1] This public aquarium existed only during a temporary exposition and was closed at the end of the exposition.[1] Afterwards, the Uonozoki was demolished.

In 1929, the Ueno Aquarium was opened in the same location at Ueno Zoo. In 1952, the aquarium started breeding saltwater fish based on the experimental results of filtration equipment. The New Ueno Aquarium was subsequently opened in 1964. The New Ueno Aquarium started to use acrylic glass for large tanks in earnest. In 1964, acrylic panels with a height of 2 metres (6.6 ft), a width of 18 metres (59 ft), and a thickness of 7 centimetres (0.23 ft) were installed.[1]

In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Ueno Zoo, a plan was formulated to build the largest aquarium in Japan. The new aquarium officially opened in 1989 as Tokyo Sea Life Park.[1] All specimens kept in the Ueno Aquarium, which subsequently closed, were inherited by Tokyo Sea Life Park.[1]

Overview

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Visitors at the tuna tank

Approximately 650 species are kept in 47 tanks, including tuna that inhabit a large, round tank with a viewing area in its center.

When the park opened, it was the largest and most popular public aquarium in Japan. The annual number of visitors in the first year of the park reached 3.55 million, far exceeding the Japanese record at that time (2.4 million at Suma Aqualife Park in 1987). The record was not broken again until the opening of the Osaka Aquarium.[citation needed]

Tokyo Sea Life Park held the world's first successful exhibition of nurseryfish. In addition, many of the species on exhibit are directly and locally collected by the Research Section of the Breeding and Exhibition Division. Rare species can be seen here, especially from polar regions.

Admission is free on the following days: May 4 (Greenery Day), October 1 (Tokyo Citizen's Day), and October 10 (Tokyo Sea Life Park's anniversary).

Renewal

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As the facility is aging after more than 30 years in existence, considerations are underway for a new facility. The park solicited opinions from the citizens of Tokyo at the end of 2018. In January 2019, the park formulated a basic plan for a new facility on the premises. In February 2020, a group of experts approved the plan report. The expansion is expected to have a total floor area of about 22,500 square metres, with maintenance costs of 24 to 27 billion yen.[3] A business plan was to be proposed by the end of 2020, with the new aquarium expected to open in 2026.[4]

Exhibits

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Pacific bluefin tuna
Seaweed forest
Blue shark

Although the park is large with many exhibits, displays used to only show the names and pictures of species in each tank. There are also photo guides and rooms with specialized tour staff. As a service improvement, digital photo frame panels with commentary were added next to tanks in May 2011.

The park was the first aquarium in Japan to successfully hold Pacific bluefin tuna and scalloped hammerhead specimens in long-term captivity.[1]

The park has also established a method for growing seaweed that require high water quality, water flow, and sufficient light, such as giant kelp, in a closed indoor tank. Tokyo Sea Life Park maintains friendly ties with Monterey Bay Aquarium in regards to kelp exhibition.[1]

In 1999, the park acquired two blue sharks which inhabited their tanks for 210 and 246 days. This was the longest captivity record for this species, until the park was overtaken by the Sendai Umino-Mori Aquarium.[5] In 2020, the park hosted two more blue sharks and kept them for five months.[6]

Research and conservation

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Humboldt penguin

At Tokyo Sea Life Park, staff work on the conservation and breeding of both Japanese and foreign rare species.

In 2007, the park also succeeded in the breeding of leafy seadragons.[8] The Japanese fire belly newt is also kept at Ueno Zoo, Tama Zoological Park, and Inokashira Park Zoo, with the four institutions working together on conservation efforts. The results of zoological research in a wide range of fields are utilized for exhibitions. Tokyo Sea Life Park conducts surveys and research on the breeding of aquatic organisms by accumulating data on feeding routines, habitats, and breeding environments, as well as inspections and dissections of dead individuals. The park also works on the captive breeding of bluefin tuna, and spawning was confirmed for the first time in captivity in 2014.[9]

Tokyo Sea Life Park continuously monitors the natural environment in Tokyo. It conducts joint research of water quality maintenance technologies (such as denitrification) with private companies, and researches improving breeding environment technologies.[1]

Ocellated Icefish

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Ocellated Icefish

On February 12, 2013, the ocellated icefish (Chionodraco rastrospinosus) spawned in captivity for the first time on record. About 500 eggs, each with a diameter of about 4.5 mm, were laid. Although the gestation time was unknown, the park speculated the eggs would take six months to hatch, like other Antarctic fish species.[10][11] The first egg subsequently hatched in May of the same year.[12] This was the first time an ocellated icefish had been bred in captivity.[13]

Accidents and incidents

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Penguin escape

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On March 3, 2012, a Humboldt penguin kept at the park escaped into Tokyo Bay.[14] On May 24 of the same year, the penguin was found at the foot of Gyotoku Bridge [ja].[15] The penguin was safely returned to the park and went back on exhibit on June 7.[16][17][18]

Mass tuna death incident

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Yellow tape is regularly applied to prevent collisions by tuna and other fish.

On December 1, 2014, 63 bluefin tuna, 67 mackerel tuna, and 35 striped bonito were kept in a large tank for migratory fish. Starting in that month, these fish died rapidly, one after another. The mackerel tuna were wiped out by January 18, 2015, and the striped bonito on January 26. By January 26, only 3 bluefin tuna were left in the tank.[19][20] While the cause has not been determined, pathological tests revealed a virus in the spleen cells of bluefin tuna and mackerel tuna.[21]

One more bluefin tuna died on February 25, and another on March 24, leaving only one remaining. In April 2016, the park announced the final results of its investigation, which indicated that the mass mortality was not caused by a single factor, but by the combined effects of multiple direct and indirect factors.[22][23][24]　

After consultation with various experts, measures were taken to address animal safety in the tank and prevent future incidents. More tuna were also brought into the park. The current population in the tank has returned to a pre-2014 level, and is considered stable.[25]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "葛西臨海水族園のあり方検討会" (PDF).
  2. ^ "法律上の位置付けがある登録博物館・指定施設". 文化庁. 2024-02-27.
  3. ^ 「老朽化進む葛西臨海水族園 代替施設を建設へ」「敷地内、来年1月めどに事業計画」『朝日新聞』2019年2月4日、P23東京。
  4. ^ 「葛西臨海水族館 建て替え - 都検討会 26年度再オープン」読売新聞 2020年2月6日、地域 都民14版27頁。
  5. ^ Baylina; Pereira; Batista; João Correia (2017). Smith; Warmolts; Thoney; Hueter; Murray; Ezcurra (eds.). Collection, transport and husbandry of the blue shark, Prionace glauca. Special Publication of the Ohio Biological Survey. pp. 43–52. ISBN 978-0-86727-166-9.
  6. ^ "珍しい、だけど身近なサメ──ヨシキリザメ". 東京ズーネット.
  7. ^ "Tokyo Sea Life Park Tokyo zoonet". 東京ズーネット.
  8. ^ "リーフィシードラゴン産卵！でも……2007/07/13". Tokyo zoo net.
  9. ^ "クロマグロが陸上水槽内で産卵！5年ぶり4回目─2014/07/30". Tokyo zoo net.
  10. ^ オセレイテッド・アイスフィッシュ:葛西臨海水族園で産卵 飼育個体で世界初. 毎日新聞. 2013-01-20. Archived from the original on 2013-04-11. Retrieved 2020-09-02.
  11. ^ "世界初 南極の魚の産卵を確認". NHK首都圏ニュース. Retrieved 2020-09-02.
  12. ^ Kameda, Masaaki. "Tokyo Sea Life exhibits rare larvae". The Japan Times. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  13. ^ 世界初、透明な血液を持つ南極の魚まもなく公開! 2011/08/22 東京ズーネット
  14. ^ 脱出したフンボルトペンギンの捜索を続けています - 東京ズーネット、2012年3月26日
  15. ^ "水族館から逃げたペンギン発見". NHK. 2012-05-24. Archived from the original on 2012-05-26. Retrieved 2012-05-24.
  16. ^ "脱走ペンギン、7日から一般公開". スポーツ報知. 2020-09-02. Archived from the original on 2012-06-06. Retrieved 2012-06-08.
  17. ^ "脱走ペンギンに名前!?". 2020-09-02. Archived from the original on 2012-06-07. Retrieved 2020-09-02.
  18. ^ "脱走のペンギン愛称「さざなみ」に 葛西臨海水族園". 『日本経済新聞』. 2012-07-11. Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  19. ^ スマに続きハガツオ全滅、クロマグロ3匹だけに. Yomiuri Shimbun. 2015-01-26. Archived from the original on 2015-01-26.
  20. ^ 「葛西臨海水族園のハガツオが全滅 クロマグロは3匹に」『日本経済新聞』2015年1月26日（2020年1月2日閲覧）
  21. ^ "「葛西臨海水族園:死んだマグロ脾臓からウイルス」". 『毎日新聞』. Archived from the original on 2015-02-22.
  22. ^ "「葛西のマグロまた1匹死ぬ 残るは2匹」". 日刊スポーツ.
  23. ^ "「葛西臨海水族園:死んだマグロ脾臓からウイルス」". 『毎日新聞』.
  24. ^ マグロ類の死亡原因の調査結果と展示について 東京ズーネット 葛西臨海水族園（2016年4月7日）2020年1月2日閲覧
  25. ^ その後のマグロたち［2］ 東京ズーネット 葛西臨海水族園（2015年11月13日）2020年1月2日閲覧
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