BBP in Brief, Issue 1, October 2003

A Bahamian Reef in New York City?!
Kate Holmes (AMNH-CBC)

This May, after adding new exhibits and improving old favorites, the American Museum of Natural History in New York reopened its Hall of Ocean Life. One of the highlights of the refurbished Hall is the 94-foot long model of a blue whale, originally created in 1969. Today, much more is known about the blue whale, and to reflect this growing knowledge, the Museum whale (which is modeled after a female) received a makeover: she had her eyes touched up, her tail trimmed, she was painted a truer color, and now even has her bellybutton in the correct place.

Another main attraction of the Hall is the magnificent two-story diorama of the Andros coral reef, originally completed in 1935. The top story reveals iron rocks exposed above the surface of the ocean and flamingos flying overhead. Visitors can look down through the water's surface to see the reef below. Descending to the lower floor, visitors are treated to a view of the reef beneath the waves. Huge stands of elkhorn coral provide a habitat teeming with life. The diorama was built using actual pieces of the reef from Andros -an approach that, in current times, would cer-tainly not be used. Once considered to be as timeless as stone, it is now known that reefs are delicate ecosystems when exposed to certain human and natural stresses. Like the blue whale, we are beginning to understand coral reefs better.

To create the diorama, Museum curator Roy Waldo Miner led a series of expeditions to Andros, and then directed a team of scientists and artists to recreate a section of the reef crest. The diorama now stands as a "snapshot in time" of a coral reef envi-ronment as it appeared some 70 years ago. It depicts an ecosystem healthy and abundant with life, with healthy coral, numerous large fish, and crustaceans swimming and crawling around the reef.

During the makeover, the diorama was cleaned up, dusted, and relit. Some of the labels were adjusted to reflect changing knowledge about the creatures on the reef. Also, a video monitor was added featuring three short video documentaries that truly enhance the exhibit. One video shows incredible black and white footage from the 1920s of the expeditions to The Bahamas. Bahamians and Americans are shown exploring the reef from above, and from below using heavy, brass diving helmets and submerged observation spheres linked to the boat above. The second video features marvelous footage of spawn-ing corals, an event first documented in the 1980s. The third video discusses present day conservation issues and highlights work being done in Andros today. Some members of the BBP are featured along with Peter Douglas of the Andros Conservancy and Trust.

Despite the serious conservation issues Andros is facing, the video ends on an optimistic note from Mr. Douglas, who states: "There are still a few areas which are totally pristine… and one day, maybe, we might show you."