Photo courtesy of Nick and Dany Blizzard

The Vancouver Aquarium is a not-for-profit organization and has been home to many land and water animals for a number of years now, always attracting eager visitors that are fascinated by their detailed displays and shows. They have established the Ocean Wise conservation program, which was started as a way to educate and give consumers the knowledge they need when it comes to purchasing sustainable seafood. Since its conception, many restaurants in Vancouver and across Canada have adapted this program, and you'll often sea the Ocean Wise symbol on menus and in grocery stores, alerting people that the food they're going to consume has been sustainably caught.

Recently, there have been a number of changes at the aquarium, and they can be seen both cosmetically and in the additions of new residents. They have recently received a large donation of $12.5 million dollars from local business, Teck. It's the largest community donation the aquarium has ever received, and will be used to continue to improve the facilities, conduct research, and (of course) look after the animals.

Baby Wolf Eels — Photo courtesy of The Vancouver Aquarium

Each year, from March to May, the aquarium welcomes a number of new residents in the form of babies. They successfully breed hundreds of new fish, invertebrates, reptiles, and birds each year, and they're always a treat to see! Along with the new babies, the Vancouver Aquarium will be welcoming a new exhibition of penguins! African Penguins, to be exact. The date for their arrival hasn't been set, but keep your eyes and ears peeled because you know it's going to be an exciting time at the Vancouver Aquarium.

African Penguins — Photo courtesy of Paul Mannix (Flickr)