Wet Side Story

Now open… for a trial run!

"Wet Side Story" opens at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo

Those who have recently visited the Zoo may have noticed the heavy commotion in the area opposite the elephant exhibits. A new exhibit called "Wet Side Story" opened there during the first week of November, 2009. The total investment of the exhibit was $1.5 million and was made possible with the generous gift of the Friends of the Zoo in San Diego, USA, headed by Mr. Robert Price. The unique exhibit is actually a spacious complex of aquaria and is the only one in Israeli Zoos representing aquatic habitats in Israel and around the world. The new complex will deal with today's pressing issues of aquatic habitats, explaining the importance of preservation of water sources and proper use of them and the actions of wildlife conservation in these habitats. In fact, this year, as water issues in Israel gain more emphasis, it is even more significant to open an aquatic exhibit at the Zoo.

"Wet side Story" describes in a narrative way the story of a drop of water that falls in the North of Israel in the Hula Valley. As the drop sets off on a worldwide journey, it gets acquainted with fish and other animals specific to the different habitats in Israel, whilst encountering the dangers that threaten these habitats and species that live in them. From the North at Lake Kineret, to the Jordan River, and the Dead Sea (there are fish that inhabit the springs of the receding Dead Sea), the drop makes its journey along the streams of the Mediterranean coast of Israel. The drop's journey is displayed in habitats of other continents too: The Amazon of South America, Tanganyika Lake in Africa and there is even a small aquarium of Sea horses. At the end of the journey, the drop reaches the coral reef of the Red Sea. In its journey, the drop has to pass through human interventions such as dams, contaminated rivers, water pumps, agricultural water and more.

A beautiful wooden bridge takes the visitors down to the complex set in the old Hippo and Bison exhibits (the Bison themselves were transferred a year ago to the deer forest in the North and "Tami" our old Hippo has been thriving in the African yard together with her new friends – the Zebras, Rhinos, Giraffes, Ostriches and others). The complex includes 3 huge water tanks. The windows of the tanks are 2 meters long and 4 meters wide. An additional 17 large fish aquariums display dozens of fish species. During the construction process, for the first time in Israel, huge acrylic Planks were installed. These solid planks do not need support and make for a different kind of viewing experience. The planks were installed by the Japanese company "Nipura". Their engineers arrived especially from Japan for the installation and sealing work.
The only mammal here is the Otter (from South-Asia), housed in a lovely exhibit including a swimming pool and a yard. The old Hippo pool has been cleverly concerted into a touch tank for Koi fish and already, visitors can buy fish food to feed the colorful fish and even try to touch them in the pool. They are quite friendly!

The estimation is that it will take a few more months until all of the water quality control systems work properly and the correct balance between fish, plants and other animals is set. We hope that come spring, the running period will be over and the exhibit will be officially opened. By then, all the fish and other animals will acclimate and the complex will be green with vegetation.

You may already want to start memorizing some of these names: Tooth carp, Sucker fish, Lung fish, Paraná, Fresh water stingray, and Arowana. All of these fish, together with the Sea horses, coral and Otters will be exhibited at the Wet Side Story.

As far fetched as it may sound – finally, there are fish in Jerusalem!