Silver Spring, MD (September 30, 2008) – The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) announces its Best Exhibit Award has been given to the National Aquarium for Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes.  Through this exhibit award, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums recognizes excellence in the area of live animal display and exhibit design by an AZA-accredited zoo or aquarium. The award was presented at the 84th Annual AZA Conference held recently in Milwaukee.

“AZA congratulates the National Aquarium in Baltimore for its outstanding achievement and leadership,” said AZA President and CEO Jim Maddy.  “The ability to connect people to nature through amazing exhibits is what makes accredited aquariums and zoos unique. Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes is a powerful example.”

The National Aquarium introduced Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes on December 16, 2005.  As the first of its kind in the United States, the authentic, naturalistic habitat evokes the land of flood, drought, and fire found in Australia’s Northern Territory and immerses visitors in the colors, textures, sights, and sounds of a remote river gorge. Housed in an enormous glass pavilion on Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and visible to passersby, the exhibit features many animals never before displayed in North America. Colorful birds and Grey-headed Flying Foxes (bats) move freely about, while cut-away views into a flowing stream show freshwater denizens such as crocodiles, yabbies, water monitors, pythons, diverse fishes, and strange-looking turtles. Designed primarily by the Aquarium’s in-house design team, the habitat represents a dramatic ecosystem that plainly depicts the complex relationships between diverse living things and the extreme environmental conditions which shape them.

“Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes was our biggest undertaking since construction of the original Aquarium in 1981, and we are proud of our award-winning in-house design team and exceptional curatorial staff for bringing to life an exhibit of this size and complexity” said Dave Pittenger, Executive Director of the National Aquarium. “This exhibit supports our mission of inspiring people to enjoy, respect, and protect the aquatic world by telling the story of flora and fauna adapted to survive and thrive in extremes of abundant and scarce water. We take pride in knowing that we are giving visitors an opportunity to enjoy and explore an ecosystem that they may otherwise never experience.”

The National Aquarium, a non-profit organization with locations in Baltimore (aqua.org) and Washington, D.C. (nationalaquarium.org), is dedicated to providing transforming experiences that inspire people to enjoy, respect, and protect the aquatic world. As a leading attraction in the mid-Atlantic region, the National Aquarium hosts more than 1.5 million people from around the globe each year. In addition to providing high-quality, fun and engaging visitor experiences, it serves its communities through extensive education and conservation programs and is committed to excellence in standards of animal care and display.

Founded in 1924, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation. Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting an institution dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. With its more than 200 accredited members, the AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation, and your link to helping animals in their native habitats. For more information, please visit www.aza.org.

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