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birchaquarium.bsky.social
Birch Aquarium
@birchaquarium.bsky.social
400 followers 17 following 220 posts
🐟 The o-fish-ial account of Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego
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birchaquarium.bsky.social
bet you didn’t know the inside of a penguins mouth LOOKS LIKE THIS 🐧

Little Blue Penguins have rows of serrated spines on the inside of their mouth that help them grip slippery prey and swallow it whole! These bristles are made of keratin, the same protein found in your hair and nails. 💅
Close-up view of a Little Blue Penguin’s open beak, showing the rows of fine, serrated spines lining the inside of its mouth.
December 4, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Reposted by Birch Aquarium
scrippsocean.bsky.social
⚠️Good news alert: A new study led by Scripps Oceanography and @salkinstitute.bsky.social reveals the potential of a new hybrid seagrass to advance ocean restoration efforts in California and beyond! ⬇️🧵
December 4, 2025 at 9:16 PM
birchaquarium.bsky.social
Enrichment is a key part of how we care for our sharks and rays at Birch Aquarium!

From puzzle feeders that encourage natural foraging behaviors to rearranging rocks and other features that challenge how they navigate their environment, enrichment helps keep them healthy and thriving.
A bat ray interacts with a red enrichment ball filled with fish underwater. This type of puzzle feeder encourages natural feeding behaviors. A Leopard Shark interacts with a red enrichment ball filled with fish underwater. This type of puzzle feeder encourages natural feeding behaviors. Two Leopard Sharks and a Bat Ray interact with a purple enrichment ball filled with fish underwater. This type of puzzle feeder encourages natural feeding behaviors.
December 3, 2025 at 5:50 PM
birchaquarium.bsky.social
Looking for a fun way to spend the weekend with family and friends? Come say shell-o to our lovely Loggerhead Sea Turtle and make some unforgettable memories!
November 28, 2025 at 4:10 PM
birchaquarium.bsky.social
Birch Aquarium is closed today for the holiday so our social media manager is out of office. Instead of our normal content, please enjoy some staff doodles of our favorite animals. We tried our best. 🐟
Ocean view featuring Scripps Pier stretching into the water, framed by palm trees. Playful doodles of a green eel, a yellow seahorse, a red octopus, and a small blue penguin appear around the scene above the text ‘Come see us.’ A collage of marine-life illustrations — including a giant kelp forest, a ‘fish … not fish’ diagram, and a garibaldi — layered over a photograph of a giant kelp bass swimming through a dense kelp forest. Image of a weedy seadragon swimming underwater, accompanied by two sketches explaining its camouflage and feeding habits. Images of various colorful drawings featuring marine life such as jellyfish, penguins, a sea star, crabs, garden eels and a mystery creature, overlaid on a background of moon jellies.
November 27, 2025 at 5:01 PM
birchaquarium.bsky.social
Need a little rest and relaxation this holiday season?
Take a moment to unwind and soak in the calming vibes of our Giant Kelp Forest. From those vibrant orange Garibaldi to our lovely Giant Sea Bass, there’s always something cool to sea. ⬇️

aquarium.ucsd.edu/cams/kelp-cam
Kelp Cam
Explore the underwater world of the local Giant Kelp Forest habitat with our Kelp Cam. Be on the lookout for Leopard Sharks, Garibaldi, an endangered Giant Sea Bass, and more
aquarium.ucsd.edu
November 25, 2025 at 5:27 PM
birchaquarium.bsky.social
Little Blue Penguin nesting season is officially underway! Our male penguins have been busy crafting nests inside cozy burrow boxes, all in the hopes of wooing a potential mate. Discover why this season is so important in our latest story ⬇️
Little Blue Penguin Nesting Season Begins at Birch Aquarium
The Little Blue Penguin nesting season is officially underway at Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. Several of our male penguins have been busy crafting nests inside cozy burrow boxes — all in the hopes of wooing a potential mate!
aquarium.ucsd.edu
November 21, 2025 at 6:14 PM
birchaquarium.bsky.social
🎉 Meditation Ocean: Aquarius Reef Base is NOW OPEN at Birch Aquarium! Inspired by the only undersea research habitat, this immersive exhibition blends meditation and marine science, inviting you on a serene journey.

Explore: https://aquarium.ucsd.edu/exhibits/meditation-ocean-aquarius-reef-base
An exhibit titled 'Meditation Ocean: Aquarius Reef Base' featuring a photo opt of a large, underwater research station, designed to mimic an underwater environment. A person stands in a mirrored room surrounded by projections of vibrant, colorful tropical fish, creating the illusion that the fish are swimming around them in all directions. Guests at a museum watching a large projected image of an underwater research station. Two individuals are seated in a modern chair, wearing headphones and watching an underwater meditation on a screen in a dark room with blue walls.
November 20, 2025 at 6:50 PM
birchaquarium.bsky.social
how your email finds us on a Friday afternoon ...
Close-up underwater photograph of a moray eel, illuminated in blue light, showing its textured skin, open mouth, and one large, reflective eye against a dark, speckled ocean background.
November 14, 2025 at 9:52 PM
birchaquarium.bsky.social
Ever seen baby seahorses up close? Curious what it takes to care for these one-of-a-kind creatures? Book a Behind-the-Scenes Seahorse Tour and find out ⬇️

https://aquarium.ucsd.edu/events/behind-scenes-seahorse
Dozens of baby seahorses swimming among seagrass in an aquarium habitat. Three baby seahorses are swimming.
November 14, 2025 at 5:05 PM
birchaquarium.bsky.social
✨ with friends like these, who needs anemones?! ✨

Just beneath the surface lies a vibrant world teeming with life, from sea anemones to sea stars and so much more! Discover the wonder of these incredible creatures and explore the habitats they call home in Living Seas.
A vibrant sea anemone and sea star on the ocean floor, surrounded by sand, smaller anemones and small rocks. Close-up view of vibrant pink and white Strawberry Anemones. Close-up view of two sea anemones with flowing white tentacles.
November 12, 2025 at 5:08 PM
birchaquarium.bsky.social
hidden gem of the mangroves 💎🦎

Emerald Tree Skinks are dazzling lime-green #lizards that are just as speedy as they are striking! They effortlessly zip through branches and expertly navigate the mangrove roots. Spot these #skinks hiding in the Mangrove Roots in Living Seas
November 5, 2025 at 4:10 PM
birchaquarium.bsky.social
🪼 Happy #WorldJellyfishDay! 🪼 From stunning Sea Nettles to magical Moon Jellies, an entire world of mesmerizing jellies awaits you in #LivingSeas at Birch Aquarium.
November 3, 2025 at 7:25 PM
birchaquarium.bsky.social
A biiiiig stretch for a big octopus 🐙 Think you’re flexible?! The #GiantPacificOctopus can squeeze through any opening just wide enough for its beak, about the size of a walnut!
A Giant Pacific Octopus stretches and explores a rocky seabed surrounded by kelp in an aquarium setting. A vibrant Giant Pacific Octopus with thousands of suction cups visible on its arms, stretches out in its habitat at an aquarium.
November 1, 2025 at 6:46 PM
birchaquarium.bsky.social
Happy Halloween! 🎃 Please note that Birch Aquarium will be closing early today at 3 p.m. so our team can enjoy some tricks and treats with family and friends 👻
Two scuba divers interact with a large skeleton suspended underwater in the Giant Kelp Forest habitat at Birch Aquarium.
October 31, 2025 at 3:57 PM
birchaquarium.bsky.social
📣 Last chance to dive into Embodied Pacific: Ocean Unseen! 🌊 This weekend is your final opportunity to experience this stunning exhibition before it closes to make room for our next adventure — Meditation Ocean: Aquarius Reef Base, opening Nov. 20, 2025.

📷: Long Truong
Guests interacting with a vibrant underwater-themed digital art exhibition. Two guests engage with an exhibit at Birch Aquarium, examining a wall display filled with colorful algae pressings, detailed scientific illustrations, historical photographs and preserved documents that showcase marine research and ocean history. A child explores an exhibit named "La Jolla Forest" featuring tall, blue and white striped cyanotype fabric installations, designed to mimic trees, at an aquarium.
October 29, 2025 at 4:05 PM
birchaquarium.bsky.social
🪸 what’s a zombie's favorite type of coral? drop your guess below … if you dare! ⬇️
October 28, 2025 at 3:48 PM
birchaquarium.bsky.social
Gourd vibes only this #NationalPumpkinDay! 🎃
October 26, 2025 at 3:24 PM
birchaquarium.bsky.social
🎃 gourd-geous 🎃
October 16, 2025 at 8:38 PM
birchaquarium.bsky.social
the cutest pumpkin patch we’ve ever seen 🎃🥰

in case you were wondering … #LittleBluePenguins are so little that they do in fact fit inside of a #pumpkin

#penguin
October 15, 2025 at 6:21 PM
birchaquarium.bsky.social
Pumpkin spice who? Real fans know PSL = Pacific Spiny Lumpsucker 🐡

These tiny, ping-pong–sized fish are covered in spines and sport a special “sucker” on their underside that helps them cling to rocks and other surfaces. Spot these little cuties in the Pacific Northwest section of Living Seas!
A small, Pacific Spiny Lumpsucker with prominent eyes swims in an aquarium habitat with colorful blurred background. Close-up photo of a special “sucker” on their underside of a Pacific Spiny Lumpsucker.
October 15, 2025 at 3:45 PM
birchaquarium.bsky.social
Our hearts are full and our beaches are cleaner! 💙 Last month, #BirchAquarium members joined our Coastal Cleanup with I Love a Clean San Diego, removing 10 lbs of trash and 1 lb of recyclables. Thank you to our amazing members and team for supporting ocean conservation!
Two people participate in a beach cleanup, holding trash grabbers and buckets, with Scripps Pier in the background. Two individuals wearing yellow t-shirts participate in a beach cleanup, using trash grabbers. Palm trees and beachfront buildings are visible in the background. A family of four participates in a beach cleanup, holding trash grabbers and buckets, with Scripps Pier in the background. Four people are seated under a canopy labeled 'Birch Aquarium Membership' at a beach cleanup event. The table in front of them displays informational pamphlets and cleanup tools.
October 14, 2025 at 4:07 PM
birchaquarium.bsky.social
🐠 Kids go FREE at #BirchAquarium this October! 🎉 All month long, enjoy one FREE child ticket (ages 12 & under) with the purchase of one full-price adult ticket!

🎟️ Reserve your Kids Free October ticket in the link below ⬇️ https://aquarium.ucsd.edu/events/kids-free-october
A child watches a Loggerhead Sea Turtle glide gracefully through its underwater habitat at Birch Aquarium. Two large fish are swimming in the background.
October 10, 2025 at 6:51 PM
birchaquarium.bsky.social
Just in time for #WorldOctopusDay — baby Red Octopuses! 🐙 These California natives are growing behind the scenes at #BirchAquarium. Discover more about this exciting and historic milestone below ⬇️

https://aquarium.ucsd.edu/newsroom/birch-aquarium-celebrates-world-octopus-day-red-octopus-hatchlings
Two tiny red octopuses, only a few days old, showing early development of their red chromatophores.
October 8, 2025 at 7:00 PM
birchaquarium.bsky.social
🧡The Life of a Show-gill 🐟

Guess you could say we’ve got a few fish in their orange era …
🧡 Garibaldi
🧡 Lionfish
🧡 Harlequin Tuskfish
October 3, 2025 at 4:11 PM