Recent News

Video: Shark Makes ‘Visit’ To Shelly Bay Beach
Monday, June 04, 2018

Yet another video of a shark has gone viral, this time with footage appearing to show the shark coming in close to shore at Shelly Bay Beach.


Say no to Plastics
Friday, June 01, 2018

Today, June 8th, is World Oceans Day, and the theme for this year is the prevention of plastic pollution to encourage healthy oceans. On World Oceans Day, people around our blue planet celebrate and honour the ocean, which connects us all.


Kids donate birthday money to BZS
Friday, June 01, 2018

Instead of spending their birthday money on video games or the latest dolls, on Monday 14th May 11-year-old Oliver "Olly" Cherry and 8-year-old twins Hayleigh and April Cherry presented Dr. Ian Walker, curator of the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo, with a donation of their birthday money to be put towards the Bermuda Zoological Society's education programmes.


Choy goes to “Raw” at the Florida Aquarium
Friday, June 01, 2018

Last month BAMZ Aquarist, Choy Aming, was able to attend the Regional Aquatics Workshop - RAW - at the Florida Aquarium in Tampa, thanks to the funding from the Bermuda Zoological Society. The workshop took place from 14th-18th May, and according to Choy it was an intensive 5 days.


MSA students raise money for the BZS Amphibian Project
Friday, June 01, 2018

On Wednesday, 28th March the students of the two Mount Saint Agnes' grade 3 classes held their "TOAD-ally Terrific tag sale", a fundraising event for the Amphibian Project which is supported by the Bermuda Zoological Society (BZS). After the two-day event, the students were able to raise over $1,300 for the Amphibian Project.



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All the latest updates and news from the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum, and Zoo, one of Bermuda's leading visitor attractions!

Longtail chicks might not be abandoned, but beware just in case
Royal Gazette
Friday, August 09, 2013

By Owain Johnston-Barnes
Published Aug 9, 2013 at 8:00 am

RG_130809_1a.jpeg
A bird in the hand: Principal curator for the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo, Dr Ian Walker
examines a Longtail that was found stranded on Horseshoe Beach last week. Dr. Walker (center)
is pictured with curator of BAMZ Patrick Talbot and Kamille Minors, a summer student who has
worked with BAMZ for many years and is studying to become a veterinary technician.

The Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo (BAMZ) is calling for the public to look out for stranded Longtail chicks as the birds prepare for their first flights.

A spokeswoman said that during August and September Longtail chicks are sometimes found seemingly abandoned, either on land or floating in water, but often the “abandonment” is a normal part of their development.

“Nevertheless, the BAMZ would still encourage the public to bring in a bird they believe is abandoned so that technical staff can assess the animal,” the spokeswoman added.

Over the summer months, Longtail chicks go through a eight-to-ten-week fledging process, losing their down feathers and growing flight feathers.

During this process, Longtail parents feed the chicks until they are ‘supersized’. While an adult Longtail typically weighs between 350g and 400g, the fledglings can weigh as much as 600g.

“When the chicks are ready to leave the nest they stop eating, which is a signal to the parents to stop feeding,” she said.

“Hatching and fledging in a hole in a cliff restricts the young bird’s ability to exercise its wings and take practice flights as woodland birds or those that nest in the open might do. Therefore, a Longtail chick’s first flight presents an almost ‘do or die’ scenario for the chick.

“It is at this point the public sometimes bring in chicks because they think they have been abandoned. However, the chick is actually slowly losing weight and building up courage to fly. This process can take over a week, hence the seeming abandonment.

“During the summer boating season more people get out on the water and come across Longtails they believe are in trouble. So far this year [BAMZ] have received six Longtails — three adults and three chicks.”

Anyone who finds a Longtail (adult or chick) injured or compromised in some way is asked to contact BAMZ at 293-2727.