New Bedford Explorium’s Sharks and Rays Take Road Trip to Mystic

The rays and sharks are on the road, but it's not a ball game.

The New Bedford Ocean Explorium packed up cow-nose rays, Atlantic stingrays, and white spotted bamboo sharks to be transported to Mysitc Aquarium in Connecticut. The sea creatures will be incorporated into already existing exhibits at Mystic.

Representatives from the Explorium say the move was well-orchestrated as each animal was captured and gently transferred to the Mystic Aquarium transport vehicle.

The Ocean Explorium is in the process of transforming the Aquatic Center at Buttonwood Park Zoo. Most of the Explorium's exhibits will eventually be housed within the renovated Aquatics building at the Zoo.

In the meantime, some of the animals will be cared for at the UMass School for Marine Science and Technology until the Aquatic Center is ready to house them.