Recent News
Santa Clause is coming to visit kids at BZSWednesday, December 03, 2014
Santa Claus will be on hand to visit with children at the Bermuda Zoological Society [BZS] on Saturday, December 6, 2014, with the fun getting underway at 10.00am. A professional photographer will be available to take photos of kids meeting Santa.
Tribute concert for Dr Burnie on Saturday
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
The spirit of Dr Neil Burnie was alive on Front Street today as his son Oscar played sax to promote a tribute concert taking place at Pier 6 on Saturday.
Photos: ‘Ocean Vet’ Dr. Burnie Laid To Rest
Monday, November 17, 2014
An entire flotilla of boats departed Albuoy’s Point on Sunday morning [Nov 16] as people from around the island made their way out onto the water in order to bid farewell to “Ocean Vet” Dr. Neil Burnie, who was buried at sea.
Dr Burnie given fitting ocean sendoff
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Dr Neil Burnie has been laid to rest, with his body placed in the water 600 fathoms deep at Western Blue Cut yesterday afternoon.
Dr Neil Burnie To Be Buried At Sea On Sunday
Friday, November 14, 2014
Dr. Neil Burnie will be buried at sea this coming Sunday [Nov 16], with boats set to leave Albuoys Point at about 10.00am, and anyone wanting to join in with their own boat is welcome to attend.
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All the latest updates and news from the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum, and Zoo, one of Bermuda's leading visitor attractions!
3/19/2012 3:57:00 PM
Department of Conservation Services Press Release
MONDAY, MARCH 19: The Department of Conservation Service today announced that it has released its seven-year-old male Galapagos shark back into the wild for health reasons.
The Galapagos Shark is a species of Requiem Shark, which live in reefs like Bermuda’s, feeding mainly on bottom-dwelling fish and squid.
Due to their slow reproductive rate and heavy fishing pressure their global population is in decline and as such it is recognized as a threatened species.
For the last six years the 6.5-foot-long Galapagos Shark named “Osbourne” has been a star attraction in the Northrock Tank at the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo (BAMZ), along with a Black Grouper.
About a year ago Osbourne started developing a rubbed rostrum (nose) in the tank due to competition from the grouper.
Aquarium staff tried to reduce the aggression between the two through various training methods but were unsuccessful and as such plans were made to return the shark to the wild this summer.
However, two weeks ago the hostility between the grouper and shark escalated and the shark’s condition deteriorated.
As a result Principal Curator Dr Ian Walker made the decision to move up the release of the shark for his well being.
Dr Walker said: “The decision to relocate the shark was not made lightly as sharks need to constantly have water flowing over their gills and can go into shock from stress relatively easily.”
With assistance from Dr Neil Burnie and Choy Aming from the Bermuda Shark Project, Aquarium staff and volunteers moved the shark onto a fast boat using a specially made sling and placed it in a shark transport box.
Once on the boat the shark was monitored carefully and had water pumped over it gills while it rested upside down in a relaxed state known as tonic immobility.
After arriving seven miles off north shore at Northrock, the shark was released over the side of the boat and aquarist Steve Davis and Dr Burnie monitored its progress from the water as it swam away.
Dr Walker said: “The whole process went very smoothly. Osbourne was released with a satellite telemetry tag, donated by the Atlantic Conservation Partnership, which will provide us with very useful information on his swimming patterns and to some extent his wellbeing.
“We wish him well.”