Dragons and Lizards Run Free in Baltimore as Aquarium Opens Landmark Exhibit on December 16

Immersive Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes on Cutting Edge of Aquarium Habitats

Baltimore, December 13, 2005 - The National Aquarium in Baltimore's highly-anticipated new habitat, Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes, opens this Friday, December 16, 2005. Five years in the making and housed in a new 64,500 square foot crystal building in Baltimore's Inner Harbor, the spectacular new habitat depicts a river gorge typical to Australia's Northern Territory with animals native to northern Australia, many of which have never been displayed in the U.S.

This slice of Australia - hope to 1,800 individual native animals representing 120 species - will offer visitors a truly immersive experience. As they walk through the bottom of the gorge, they will come nose to nose with crocodiles, flying foxes, rainbow lorikeets, the venomous death adder and other fishes, birds, lizards and snakes. Free-roaming lizards and water dragons will bask on the red rocks fo the exhibits 45-foot cliffs.

The Aquarium’s expansion – the largest in its nearly 25-year history – includes two additional elements: the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Waterfront Park, which offers a new outdoor urban oasis, and a rotating exhibit space featuring Frogs! A Chorus of Colors created by Clyde Peeling’s Reptiland /Peeling Productions.

The National Aquarium in Baltimore, a non-profit organization, is Maryland's most exciting and popular cultural attraction, and one of the region's leading conservation and education resources, hosting more than 1.6 million visitors per year. The Aquarium's mission is to connect people with aquatic life to create a better world for both. It is dedicated to education and conservation through more than a dozen programs that serve the environment and the comunity.

B-roll and photographs of this spectacular exhibit are available. To receive more information, story ideas, b-roll or photos visit www.aqua.org/news.html, email media@aqua.org, or call 410-576-3874 or 410-576-3860.

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