Animals & Exhibits

What’s black and white and loved all over? Our African penguin colony!   Did you know that AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums protect some of the world’s most endangered animals? Jenkinson’s Aquarium is helping to save African penguins and participates in AZA Species Survival Plan (SSP) and AZA SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction. SAFE builds capacity […]

Known as the rainforests of the sea, coral reefs support many species of plants and animals.   Found in warmer water, coral reefs are home to more species of fish, corals, and other marine life than any other ocean habitat. They also provide humans with food, shoreline protection, jobs, and medicines. You can help protect […]

Say hello to Luseal! Lucy is a local celebrity and has lived with us since 1991. Her records indicate that she may have been attacked by a shark or hit by a boat when she was a pup. She was brought to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine, New Jersey for treatment. Lucy is […]

Get to know some animals that call the Jersey Shore home.   Pilings and artificial reef balls provide fish, sharks, and turtles a home.  The dull coloring of these animals acts as camouflage to help them hide from predators. Look for Ace our Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle. Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles are the most endangered […]

This exhibit is intended to give visitors an idea of what a Pacific Ocean kelp forest looks like.   Giant perennial kelp grows in vast forests off the coast around southern California. Kelp forests provide homes for a variety of invertebrates, fish, and marine mammals. Fun fact: Products processed from kelp can be found in […]

Take a walk into these New Jersey ecosystems that are part of the Pinelands National Reserve.   We have partnered with the American Littoral Society to raise oysters and MATES to “head start” baby diamondback terrapins that will be returned to the bay once they are larger. Be sure to pick up information at each […]

Located on the second floor, you’ll feel like you’ve left the ocean and entered a tropical rainforest.   Rainforests are known for their biodiversity and our monkeys and parrots are a few of the animals that make it their home. Although they cover only about 6% of our planet’s surface, rainforests contain 50% of all […]

The shark tank is the largest in the aquarium and holds about 58,000 gallons of water and a variety of fish that can be found off our coast.   We have sandbar sharks, nurse sharks, spotted wobbegongs, and a sand tiger shark. Our sharks are fed three times a week which keeps them well fed […]

You’re invited to get up close with some of the more familiar creatures found in our ocean.   Our touch tank pool allows guests to gently touch marine animals such as sea stars, sea urchins, whelks, horseshoe crabs, and stingrays. These animals live in a variety of habitats and have developed many ways to survive […]

We encourage guests to make positive pet choices and the residents of our turtle pond are one of the reasons why.   Many of these turtles were acquired through NJFWS confiscation. We encourage you to research any animal that you are considering for a pet. Once animals reach their adult size, many do not want […]