How the Aquarium of Niagara Is Making a Difference for Aquatic Life

Learn how the Aquarium practices good aquatic conservation and how you can get involved, too.

Public aquariums offer a window to the underwater world, and the Aquarium of Niagara works hard to provide guests with multiple opportunities to connect with animals in ways that both surprise and delight. But the colorful exhibits, public presentations, and animal feedings are designed to do more than entertain — they showcase the aquarium’s important conservation efforts for animals in Niagara Falls and beyond.

We talked with Christine Stephans, Aquarium of Niagara's director of communications and marketing, to learn more about their initiatives and share how the public can get involved.

The Aquarium of Niagara provides a “forever home” for marine animals in need.

Some of the animals that find their home at the Aquarium of Niagara would not be able to survive in a natural environment due to a variety of factors such as injuries and illnesses, or birth under human care. Some were owner surrenders, and some were confiscated due to wildlife trafficking. Animals that the Aquarium has rescued include seals, sea lions, a sea turtle, an Asian arowana, a tesselata moray eel, several freshwater turtles and coral.

Take Stryker the harbor seal, for example. He was hit by a boat and injured so severely that one of his hind flippers needed to be amputated. As a result, he could not pass swim tests and would likely not be able to successfully hunt for food or evade predators. Or Mia, one of the California sea lions — she was rescued after suffering from pneumonia and seizures. Her pup, Isabel, was born under human care, so she did not learn the skills necessary to be a sea lion in the wild. At the Aquarium, they all receive everything they need to promote their wellbeing, including specialized diets, veterinary care and regular enrichment.

Some species have their own survival plans.

Species Survival Plan Programs (SSPs) are managed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). They offer plans to maintain thriving animal populations under human care. “It's a bit of animal matchmaking,” says Stephans. “We look at all of the animals of a particular species and determine breeding matches that promote long-term sustainability.”

Consider the penguins: Up until 2020, the Aquarium’s Humboldt penguin colony was comprised of mostly older birds, and the Aquarium hadn’t welcomed a penguin chick in 14 years. The Aquarium worked with other accredited facilities to bring several younger mated pairs into the colony and reinstate its breeding program. PJ Jr. and Blanca are the proud parents of Jules and Smitty (hatched in 2020) and Cusco and P.T. (2022).

Aquarium employees are supported to step away from work and assist in conservation projects.

Aquarium of Niagara offers paid leave for staff members who spend time making a difference in the world, from cleanups and research projects to assisting in the set-up of living exhibits at other organizations. “A couple upcoming staff projects include seabird restoration work in Maine and coral research in Florida,” says Stephans.

Do your part

Here’s how you can pitch in to follow in the Aquarium’s footsteps, practicing conservation that will benefit aquatic life.

If you’re in Niagara Falls USA:

  • Visit the Aquarium of Niagara. As a nonprofit organization, the Aquarium relies on proceeds from each visit to support its various initiatives.
  • Participate in the Aquarium’s annual beach cleanup. The Aquarium holds an annual cleanup on the shores of Lake Ontario to prevent trash from entering the lake and nearby waterways. Keep an eye on their calendar for upcoming dates.
  • Take a Nature Stories trail hike. Join the Aquarium on the third Sunday of each month for a free one-hour guided walking tour of the Niagara Gorge. Learn about the local ecosystem and the plants and animals that call Niagara County home.

If you’re anywhere in the world:

  • Donate to the Aquarium’s Conservation Fund. Donations to this fund support sustainability projects within the Aquarium of Niagara, provide community engagement for cleanups and conservation practices, and fund conservation efforts locally, nationally and around the world.
  • Choose sustainableb seafood. Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Guide is a great resource.
  • Avoid pesticides and plant native species.
  • Switch to reusable items to limit your consumption of single-use plastics.

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