Since becoming the first marine field station in Hawaii
in 1912 and a part of the University of Hawaii in
1919, the Waikiki Aquarium has had an unbroken
history of marine research and
discovery!
Much of our research effort at the Aquarium revolves around the propagation of marine animals. We have
had great success with the chambered nautilus, mahimahi (dolphinfish or dorado),
the rare Hawaiian seahorse and two species of jellies (Mastigias and Aurelia). We received the Edward H.
Bean Award from the American Zoo and Aquarium Association
for our work on nautilus. In addition, we have raised the harlequin shrimp (Hymenocera picta) and numerous species of anemonefish.
We are currently working on the rare masked angelfish (Genicanthus personatus) and an uncommon Hawaiian endemic goby, Priolepis.
By propagating animals at our facility, we reduce our dependence on collecting specimens from the wild and strengthen the practice of
our conservation mission
We were the first aquarium in the U.S. to propagate the chambered nautilus in 1985 and we continue to focus our research efforts
on the cephalopods. In our Jet Set exhibition we feature two species
of nautilus, the flashback cuttle, the Hawaiian day
octopus, and the flamboyant cuttle - a species of cuttle exhibited nowhere else in the U.S.
Are sharks the killers we make them out to be? Aquarium research is helping to set the record straight
and dispel some of the myths surrounding these misunderstood animals. The Waikiki Aquarium's
shark research focuses on several aspects of biology and behavior: distribution, diet and reproductive biology of sharks in Hawaii
and the husbandry of sharks and rays.
Hawaiian monk seals are one of the most threatened marine mammals in the world. With fewer than 1400 animals remaining in the wild,
research plays an incredibly important role in the recovery of this species. By training monk seals resident
at the Aquarium, scientists and biologists can accomplish cutting-edge research that would be impossible in the wild.
Coral reefs make up one of the most diverse and important habitats on the planet, but reefs are coming under assault from an array
of environmental stresses and human impacts. Research at the Aquarium is helping to unlock the secrets of coral biology and has implications
for the understanding of these imperiled environments.
