Temperate Pacific

Our very own Pacific Habitat recreates a typical rocky shore, much like the one found in Monterey Bay, California. It is a mild and temperate, with air temperatures around 17°C. Granite rock formations that have suffered the powerful influence of the sea decorate this area.

Waters are cold but flourish with life and nutrients. Lest we not forget this is a west shore, and the Coriollis Effect diverts wind and currents to the right, which diverts surface water away from the shore and therefore nutrient and cold rich water rises from the bottom. This is what scientists call “upwelling”.

The underwater landscape is very charismatic, with giant strands of kelp supplying shelter and nourishment to an extraordinary and diverse amount group of sea creatures.

Sharks, rays and chimaeras
Horn shark, California hornshark (Heterodontus francisci - Heterodontidae)

Leopard shark, cat shark (Triakis semifasciata - Triakidae)

Swellshark (Cephaloscyllium ventriosum - Scyliorhinidae)

Marine mammals
Alaskan Sea-otter (Enhydra lutris - Mustelidae)

Sea-stars, sea-urchins and sea-cucumbers
False ochre star (Evasterias troschelii - Asteroidea)

Giant red sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus franciscanus - Strongylocentrotidae)

Ochre Sea Star, purple sea star (Pisaster ochraceus - Asteroidea)

Purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus - Strongylocentrotidae)

Spiny brittle star (Ophiothrix spiculata - Ophiotricidae)

Spiny starfish (Marthasterias glacialis - Asteriidae)

Anemones, corals and jellyfish
Fish-eating anemone (Urticina piscivora - Actiniidae)

White-spotted rose anemone (Urticina lofotensis - Actiniidae)

Birds
American oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani - Haematopodidae)

Heermann’s gull (Larus heermanni - Laridae)

Bony fish
Barred sand bass (Paralabrax nebulifer - Serranidae)

Black rockfish, black snapper, black bass (Sebastes melanops - Sebastidae)

Brown rockfish, bolina, rockfish (Sebastes auriculatus - Sebastidae)

Copper rockfish, chucklehead, never die (Sebastes caurinus - Sebastidae)

Garibaldi, Garibaldi damselfish (Hypsypops rubicundus - Pomacentridae)

Kelp bass (Paralabrax clathratus - Serranidae)

Kelp greenling, Greenling (Hexagrammos decagrammus - Hexagrammidae)

Kelp rockfish, dumb bass, rockfish (Sebastes atrovirens - Sebastidae)

Tiger rockfish, blackbanded rockfish, banded rockfish (Sebastes nigrocinctus - Sebastidae)