Giants of Vancouver Aquarium

Being a couple of prairie folk that saw maybe one fish a year, the Vancouver Aquarium quickly became one of our favorite spots. We've had memberships since moving here and now that we're downtown and 15 minutes away we get there even more often. Since there's so much to photograph I'll likely do a few segments on the park starting with this selection of some of the larger animals.

The belugas have been doing very well lately, having a new baby born both of the summers we have been out here. Kathryn volunteered this summer as an observer to monitor the baby's behavior and help gather data on the early months of their lives.
The arapaima is a massive (8ft long or so) Brazillian fish which ranks among the most primeval creatures I've ever seen. In their natural habitat they live in the rivers of the rainforest and are one of the few fish out there that actually go to the surface to breathe.
The aquarium is so full and busy these days that the sea lions aren't always even out on display, but they are consistently among my favorites, being so agile and playful. The tank here has an underwater viewing window where I never tire of watching these swim around with the seals.