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Moving through our indoor galleries, Aquarium guests will journey from sandy beaches to deeper off of the coast. The first stop in that journey is our Sandy Coast gallery, introducing visitors to the narrow but teeming ecosystem where the land meets the water.
Here, much of the life is hidden beneath the sand or in the cracks between rocks. Many surf zone animals bury themselves to escape the drying sun and the sharp eyes of shorebirds and marine predators. The animals of the sandy shores can also be so tiny they almost escape observation, but even the smallest still play a vital role in nature’s constant cycle of life.
See below for a detailed look at the different parts of the ecosystem you can find in our gallery, and keep an eye out for their counterparts along the coast!
Want a look ahead or a second glance at the videos playing in the galleries? Check out all of our indoor galleries videos here!
A completely new addition to the Sandy Coast gallery! Animals that can’t survive the crashing waves close to shore live farther out, inhabiting still waters where the seafloor is stable. This part of the Sandy Coast sustains sea life like rockfish, anemones, and sea pens.
Flatfish evolved to lie flat on the seafloor, both eyes looking up to watch for predators…and prey. They can change color and patterns to match their surroundings, and bury themselves in the sand so they don’t get swept away by currents.
One of the highlights of the Sandy Coast gallery includes a freestanding pier pilings exhibit. This 4,730-gallon tank replicates the unique habitat formed by docks and piers where anemones and mussels encrust the human-made features and Dungeness crabs scuttle along the bottom.
In nature, herring, anchovies, and sardines swim in glimmering schools, swooping and darting to avoid predators, preserve energy, and find food. This tank gives guests a chance to see schooling behavior in action.
Tubesnouts, pipefish, prawns, and other species thrive in eelgrass beds amongst the brackish waters and shifting sands in bays and estuaries. Eelgrass beds act as nursery habitats, providing food and shelter to growing fish.
Crashing waves create a rough-and-tumble environment for animals living along Oregon’s Sandy Beaches. This habitat features an intermittent swell, giving guests the chance to see how anemones, prawns, clingfish, and other hardy species have adapted to thrive in turbulent waters.
As part of the Aquarium’s plan for indoor gallery improvements, Sandy Coast was the first of our indoor galleries to open post-renovations. Renovations included udpated tanks, new signage, and general updates needed after over thirty years educating guests on our sandy shores and what lives there.
