California Coast & Ocean

Next to the Water Planet is the 212,000-gallon, 25-foot deep Philippine Coral Reef--the deepest exhibit of live corals anywhere. The corals in this reef have been growing for four years in the Academy’s temporary accommodations downtown. It will be years before the reef is mature, but the many species of hard and soft coral are off to a healthy start. Black-tipped reef sharks, stingrays, sea turtles, and over 4,000 reef fish swim among the coral. All are either captive-bred or have been taken from sustainable wild sources. Besides establishing a delicate mix of chemicals that accurately reflect a natural reef, the secret to successful coral husbandry is light. Corals need an abundant supply, so the natural light from the open plaza is supplemented by 120 metal halide lamps that emit wavelengths ideal for photosynthesis.

Cameras built into the tanks, magnifiers, and video footage bring the action even closer, while in-tank volunteer divers will make frequent presentations, interacting with viewers and answering questions. The designers feel that this mixture of live animals and interactive technology will resonate with a new generation of visitors who are harder to impress than their parents.

The most celebrated aspect of the new Academy building is its undulating “green” roof, planted with native plants, whose seven domes mirror the seven hills of San Francisco and blend with the hills of the park. The two dominant domes top the planetarium and the rainforest exhibit, respectively. The coral reef anchors the planetarium dome, while the basement beneath the other dome holds the California Coast exhibit and an Amazonian flooded forest. The first, dominated by a 100,000-gallon tank, depicts the ecosystem around the Farallon Islands. Fish, invertebrates, and seaweed there are in constant motion, thanks to a wave-surge system simulating the natural movements of the waters in which these life forms flourish.

The visitor then enters a tunnel beneath the Amazonian forest, the bottom of the multilevel Rainforest of the World exhibit. Arapaima, giant catfish, vegetarian piranhas, and even the tiny tetras that swam in separate tanks in the old Steinhart now have a habitat their ancestors might recognize.

To enter the rest of the rainforest exhibit, you go up the main floor, venture through an airlock, and immerse yourself in an enclosure kept at 80 degrees Fahrenheit and 75 percent humidity. It’s hot in there. As you ascend the gently sloping ramp, you pass through the Borneo rainforest floor, the Madagascar understory, and the Costa Rica canopy. Alongside the live plants of what will one day become a mature forest, each geographical niche has its own suite of animals. Among them are flying lizards, gliding frogs, bats, and a reticulated python on the floor; colorful frogs, geckos, and chameleons in the understory; and free-flying birds and butterflies in the brightly-lit canopy.

An elevator ride brings you back down to the main floor where there is still much to see. Live animal displays are spread out in each exhibit and even in the cafe. The most popular is likely to be the penguin display, which has displaced the waterhole in the African Hall--these black-footed penguins do come from Africa, or at least their forebears did. Almost all penguins in captivity belong to this species, and aquariums and zoos pass them amongst each other to keep their gene pool healthy. Those at the Steinhart are lucky, as this is a good-sized tank with simulated wave action, 50-degree water, and a rapid filtration system. Moreover, the penguins may soon not be alone. Some species of fish and marine invertebrates may be added to help create a more natural setting.