Toba aquarium rears most numerous species in Japan

If you have a chance to visit Ise Shrine in Mie Prefecture, and you have one more day there, Toba aquarium is one of best choices.

It is not just aquarium. It rears most numerous species (=about 1200 kinds of creatures) in Japan. It has a wide site and especially it keeps many sea mammals like Dugongs, Africa manatees, Sea otters, Indian porpoises.

Official site (URL:http://www.aquarium.co.jp/) is written in Japanese but you can download English PDF in this site. You can get general information there, so I’ll introduce special recommendation after I actually visited there.

・Check latest Show & Feeding time
If you visit there, at first you had better check latest show schedule and feeding times. There aren’t numbered tickets to see show or feeding times. So go directly to the area with time to spare.

I saw sea lion show, it was about 15minutes. Sea lion was versatile entertainer and I enjoyed it very much.
・Dugong
It is said dugongs are model of mermaid. One dugong eats 20kg sea weeds per day. Here is the only aquarium where you can see a dugong (named Selena) in Japan.

 I think Dugongs have healing effects. How about taking a long look at her?
・Finless porpoise
I like them very much. Their mouths are so cute and they look like they are smiling to me. Usually they live in the sea, but some species live in the river in China. It is a kind of small types of Dolphin.
・Clione
You can see a Clione in a small fish tank of Polar Sea zone (There are 12 zones in Toba aquarium.). After growing up, they have no shell but they belong to spiral shell.
photo by Jeff Hannigan
They live in the very cold sea (for example the Arctic Ocean).There were dewdrops on the surface of the tank when I visited there. 

The Clione was swimming by using a pair of feet which were like wings. I could see its red internal organs through mostly transparent its body. It swam faster than I expected. I like it very much.

Photography is prohibited here.

・African manatee
African manatees are very huge. They are very impressive.
They are much bigger than Dugon, Finless porpoise. Maximum weight is 1500kg!
In addition these animals, you can see popular Commerson’s dolphin, Sea otter, and even curious creatures (for example Giant isopod) which are usually seen only in a laboratory.

Toba aquarium is very exciting place. You should visit there.

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