On March 29, 2020, Palau International Coral Reef Center closed its doors to all visitors, including partners, collaborators, and guests, as a preventive measure against COVID-19. Even though the Center’s facilities are closed to the public until May 31st, operations continue.
In order to offer a better experience, the Palau Aquarium has taken advantage of the closure by performing maintenance and deep cleaning of the tanks, pumps, and piping system. “Given the high levels of humidity and salinity, parts of the chiller system have rusted over the years,” stated Aquarist Mcgee Mereb, “We have also been working on restoring exhibits, like the seagrass tank,” he added.
During the closure, Palau Aquarium is also creating new displays to supplement the existing exhibits. The new displays include information about Palau’s geology and the amazing and unique giant clams. In addition to the new displays, the Palau Aquarium entrance is being redesigned to make it more conspicuous and welcoming.
“The Palau Aquarium is one of the tools that PICRC uses to share information and knowledge about Palau’s ecosystems. By focusing on the maintenance of our tanks and the development of new visual displays, we hope to provide a more enriching experience to all of our guests,” stated Aquarium Director, Ilebrang Olkerill.