• Be sure to stop by the Sea Jelly Lab and see what's growing in this open husbandry lab. Students, volunteers and staff are often seen working on a variety of projects here. You might even be shown baby jellies on the microscope monitor.
  
  
• Shapes, colors, and behavior of the fish in the Fish Diversity Tank reflect where and how these fish live.  See how sharks come in an amazing variety of sizes, shapes, and habitats and how some of the biggest sharks are gentle filter-feeders instead of ferocious predators.
  
  
• The Channel Islands are major breeding grounds for many thousands of seabirds, seals and sea lions.  Feeding and nesting habitats are displayed.
  
  
• Whales and dolphins, descended from land mammals, are the largest and most intelligent animals of the ocean.  The lives of these big mammals are examined in special exhibits on feeding, a video of various cetaceans, displays of whale and dolphin skeletons, and recordings of whale sounds.

Southern California Species

		Basking Shark   Cetorhinus maximus The basking shark is the second largest species of fish in the world.
		Blue Whale   Balaenoptera musculus The blue whale is the largest living animal.
		Brown Pelican   Pelecanus occidentalis The brown pelican is the smallest of all pelicans and is the only one that plunges from the air into the water to catch its food.
		California Sea Lion    Zalophus californianus Sea lions use their long front flippers to steer and propel themselves through the water.
		Common Thresher Shark   Alopias vulpinus The common thresher shark uses its long tail in a whip-like fashion to deliver incapacitating blows to its prey.
		Cooper of the Sea   Phronima sedentaria The eyes of this amphipod are so large that they make up nearly a quarter of the entire body.
		Crystal Jelly   Aequorea victoria Crystal jellies can expand their mouth to eat prey half their size!
		Great White Shark   Carcharodon carcharias The great white shark is capable of explosive bursts of speed and has been known to jump 3 meters (10 feet) out of the water.
		Killer Whale   Orcinus orca The killer whale, as known as the orca, is the largest dolphin.
		Laysan Albatross   Phoebastria immutabilis The wings of a laysan albatross are adapted to lock open into a wingspan of nearly seven feet.
		Shortfin Mako Shark   Isurus oxyrinchus The shortfin mako shark is able to elevate its body temperature almost 20°F above the surrounding water.
		Western Gull   Larus occidentalis The Western gull typically lives about 15 years, but can live to at least 25 years.