A critically endangered flapper skate, rescued from Orkney and named Cedric, will be among a host of new attractions awaiting visitors to the north-east’s only aquarium next week.
The young species of dipturus intermedius moved into the waters at Macduff Marine Aquarium at the end of 2020 after an Orkney Skate Trust research survey found the developing embryo inside a damaged egg case.
The egg could not be returned to the sea as it was unlikely to survive – so was carefully nurtured in a fish tank in a researcher’s garage and successfully hatched.
Now Cedric is thriving in the shallow waters amid the Macduff aquarium’s native collection.
Flapper skates are the largest skates in the world, growing nearly 10ft long and more than 6ft across the wings.
Though once common in the north-east Atlantic Ocean, intense fishing in 19th and 20th centuries means they’re now extinct in their native waters and only found in the North Sea, off Scotland’s north-west coast and the Celtic Sea.
Ultimate release to the wild
They are rarer and more endangered than giant pandas, blue whales and mountain gorillas.
It’s been illegal to land flapper skates commercially since 2009, meaning the fish, which take around 10 years to mature, could see an increase in population numbers during the next decade.
Aquarium staff will contribute to the wider understanding of the species by monitoring Cedric’s growth rate and other developmental changes before his ultimate release back to wild waters when the time comes.
Aquarium manager Claire Matthews said “We are delighted to have the opportunity to showcase this rare and beautiful skate and raise awareness about the challenges that so many of our native shark, ray and skate species face.
“The timing of Cedric’s arrival with us coincides with a recent designation of the inner Sound of Skye as a Marine Protected Area for flapper skates and we very much look forward to helping further scientific knowledge of them.
“Cedric will be comfortably accommodated in our display tanks as he grows bigger and will eventually be released to the sea as a mature male, to support the important Orkney population. We’re sure he’ll make a big splash as an ambassador for his species while we have him.”
The aquarium will be reopening to the public on Monday, with social distancing measures in place.
A raft of new exhibitions will be unveiled on Facebook Live this Thursday at 2pm.
New attractions on offer
The aquarium’s diverse displays of native marine life form the backbone of the visitor experience, but as people move through the exhibit spaces, they can now gain information about the Moray Firth’s marine habitats from interpretation panels on the aquarium walls.
Mrs Matthews said much of the original interpretation had been in place for over 20 years and it needed an upgrade to make the information more accessible and relevant.
The attraction now boasts bright, eye-catching display panels that bring the information to life for visitors making their way from exhibits featuring the coastal habitats, out to the kelp reef and beyond to the sandy seabed.
Ms Matthews added “We’re delighted to be opening the doors again after this difficult lockdown with an exciting new look and feel like we’re kicking off the aquarium’s 25th year with a new lease of life.
“Our new wall displays are vibrant and contemporary and include interactive and tactile features that will appeal especially to our younger visitors.”