The Tennessee Aquarium has recently welcomed several new arrivals with significant conservation value. Since mid-May, seven baby turtles from five distinct species have hatched behind the scenes, including multiple individuals classified as endangered or critically endangered in their natural habitats. The latest hatchlings comprise three critically endangered Four-eyed Turtles, one endangered Beal’s Four-eyed Turtle, one …
Chattanooga, Tenn. (Feb. 23, 2026) – Do sharks glow in the dark? Can a shrimp out-box a prize fighter? Could a fish walk on the bottom of the ocean? What’s this about an animal with two sets of jaws? What even is a lumpsucker?! The truth behind a host of aquatic rumors and tall tales will …
Orangefoot Pimpleback. Monkeyface. Fuzzy Pigtoe. No, these aren’t insults hurled by children on the playground; they’re freshwater mussel species. Despite their playful monikers, these rock-like animals seriously improve water quality in rivers and streams. A new exhibit in the Tennessee Aquarium’s Ridges to Rivers gallery showcases these often-underappreciated organisms and draws attention to their role in maintaining …
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Every year for more than two decades, the approach of summer has coincided with the arrival of hundreds, sometimes thousands, of juvenile Lake Sturgeon to the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute. Last week, biologists at the Aquarium’s freshwater field station welcomed 2,500 of these wriggling, two-inch babies into their care. As with …
