Is this habitat display too small? ** Pic Heavy**

[cynatnite]

My son and I went to the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga yesterday. We had a great time, but I've been bothered by the penguin habitat since then. It seems too small and confining. There is plenty of room for swimming, which I guess encourages the animals to swim for visitors rather than sit on the faux rocks. I'm sure they don't stay in this enclosure 24/7, but it still seems pretty confining for the daily long hours for visitors to see.

I don't know much about this subject and I've been to other zoos and whatnot, but this is the first time I've really been bothered.

What do you think?

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on edit: We think we saw a dead loggerhead turtle, too.

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[SoutherDem]

1. The Tennessee Aquarium takes great efforts to make the animals comfortable and healthy.

As far as zoos and aquariums go they are one of the best.

Would the animals be better off in nature? I don't know, those animals have a guaranteed food supply, and no predators, but they are restricted to their habitats.

If you go back I would suggest taking one or both of the behind the scene tours, you get to see how the animals are cared for.

[cynatnite]

2. I considered taking it when we were there. I might just do that...

Thanks.

[NV Whino]

3. Temperature control might limit the space for penguins.

[nashville_brook]

4. seems small to me.

sometimes there's more habitat away from where the public can see. but yeah, this pic seems a little sad.

[Ian David]

5. If the penguins were unhappy, they would tell us with dancing.

Seriously though, I can't tell from these pictures.

The suggestion of taking a behind the scenes tour sounds like a good one.

[Lochloosa]

6. That is an Alligator Snapping Turtle in the pic....they can stay motionless for a long time

it's how they "fish"...they have this "worm" looking appendage inside their mouth and wait for a fish to come after it.

Then SNAP.

[cynatnite]

7. It really looked dead the way it was on it's side and motionless...

Thanks for the info. I'll tell my son.

[Lochloosa]

8. I've caught a few...mostley when I was young...they are not so common now.

Really cool turtles.