Oceans Divided

The Rise of the Isthmus has a terrestrial story —presented in The Great Biotic Interchange — and an aquatic story: the separation of the Pacific from the Caribbean. The form and organization of the Oceans Divided aquarium gallery is an expression of this division.

The primary Device of Wonder will be a pair of two-story-high, semi-cylindrical aquaria. The Pacific and the Caribbean ocean environments designed within each will dramatically reveal the divergent aquatic environments. Species of fish, crustaceans, mollusks and plants have been selected to clearly demonstrate the differences between the two marine environments. Divers will be able to enter the tanks to make live presentation to visitors via an audio/video link.

Along the undulating walls, three large jewel tanks and several interactive display cases will be inserted to present other aspects of marine life in Panama. A Pacific pelagic tank, a living Caribbean coral tank, and a coastal mangrove tank each will compare and contrast different marine environments.

The interactive cases will present the ongoing global effects of Panama upon climate and ocean currents, and the slow evolutionary effects of dividing the two ocean biota — Nature's Great Experiment.