Day 5 - Part 2: Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo

Feeding time for the resident Harbour seals...

 

Cafe area

 The Bermuda Natural History Museum seeks to inspire an understanding of and appreciation for the evolution of flora and fauna on the island.

 The ground floor of the museum includes three  galleries of interactive and audio-visual displays showing how the island was formed and discovered.

Displays include examples of geology and fossils, Bermuda’s biodiversity, threatened habitats, plants and animals.

Other exhibits illustrate the history of Bermuda traditions such as Gombey dancing...

... Cupmatch...

...and the Easter tradition of kite flying, after a tradtional Good Friday breakfast of codfish and potatoes.

 

In 1849, the first Portuguese immigrants arrived in Bermuda from Madeira on board the ship 'The Golden Rule'. Their passage was subsidised by the Bermuda government and they were contracted to work as farm labourers.

Portuguese Bermudians have gone on to make their mark not only in agriculture, but in all sectors of Bermuda. They represent one of the three main groups to which most Bermudians belong. The others are black Bermudians, who trace their ancestry back to Africa, and white Bermudians who are descended from British settlers. Many Bermudians can claim ancestry from at least two of the groups, and some from all three.

Portuguese farmers picking Bermuda Easter lilies

Traditional Portuguese lacework

Some strange old traditions!

What most people think of first, when Bermuda is mentioned!

The fragile nature of island ecosystems is a key theme in the Caribbean, Australasia and Madagascar Exhibits, which all have free-flight immersion areas that allow visitors to see animals as they would in nature.The zoo displays over 300 birds, reptiles and mammals from oceanic islands in lush, naturalistic exhibits with coastal walkways and beautiful water vistas.

An emphasis on conservation and environmental education forms the focus of the facility. Many animals in the collection belong to Species Survival Plans, captive-breeding programmes for endangered creatures, some of which are reintroduced to the wild.

Giant Leaf-Tailed Gecko

Spider Lily

Radiated Tortoise

 A view of Harrington Sound from the Zoo

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Day 5 - Part 1: Flatts Inlet & Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo

Flatts Inlet is a narrow channel which connects Harrington Sound with the Atlantic Ocean. It lies almost exactly halfway between Hamilton and St. George's.

Harrington Sound  is open to the sea only at this inlet, at its south westernmost point. Although much of the Sound's water flows through subterranean channels, the water in the inlet is fast moving as the tide ebbs and flows.

Flatts Bridge crosses the inlet, and the small settlement of Flatts Village is located on its south bank. The Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo (BAMZ) is located on its north bank.

 

Flatts Village

Underneath Flatts Bridge, looking into Harrington Sound

Absolutely not fishing.....

Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo (BAMZ) was founded in 1926 and is one of the world's oldest aquariums. The 7 acre facility is a top attraction for all ages and an important centre for science education, research and species conservation. BAMZ has been accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums since 1994.

Doctorfish

Squirrel Fish

 

The Aquarium showcases more than 200 species of fish and delicate marine invertebrates from Bermuda's shallow coastal waters, northern coral reefs, and the deep ocean. The spectacular 140,000-gallon North Rock Exhibit showcases live corals and large predatory fish, including sharks and a black grouper. Exhibits housing marine turtles—some of them rescued after injury—and harbour seals are two other very popular areas and provide for captive management and research initiatives.

Thanks for visiting my blog, hope you've enjoyed the photos.

For the next instalment click here...