Austin Aquarium
The Austin Aquarium is a for profit aquarium located in Austin, Texas, United States, that opened to the public December 12, 2013. It is home to thousands of different species of reptiles, exotic birds and marine animals.
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| Date opened | December 12, 2013[1] |
|---|---|
| Location | Austin, Texas |
| Coordinates | 30.45004°N 97.79231°W |
| Floor space | 22,000 square feet (2,000 m2)[1] |
| No. of animals | 8000 |
| Website | www |
As of June 2013, the Austin Aquarium had filed for a permit to open the 22,000 square feet (2,000 m2) facility the City of Austin Planning and Development Review on U.S. Route 183 in northern Travis County, Texas, near Anderson Mill.[1]
The aquarium is owned and operated by Portland Aquarium owner Vince Covino, brother of Ammon Covino.[2][3]
Controversies and violations
In June 2019, a lawsuit was filed by the parents of a 10-year-old girl who was allegedly bitten by a lemur.[4] The lawsuit detailed the aquarium falsely reported the lemur to be vaccinated, causing thousands of dollars in medical expenses for the child.[5]
In May 2019, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) cited the aquarium for failing to consult an attending veterinarian to determine the cause of ear problems found in kangaroos prior to treating them.[2]
In September 2018, the USDA cited the facility for failing to have a barrier around the enclosures for the coatimundi and red ruffed lemurs. The agency also found that the aquarium failed to upkeep the room designated as the kinkajou enclosure.
In July 2013, Austin Code Compliance issued two notices of violation for keeping animals and water tanks on the site without proper documentation.[6]
References
- Post, Christie (June 9, 2013). "Controversial Aquarium Coming to Austin". KEYE TV. Archived from the original on June 11, 2013. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
- "The Covino Family" (PDF). PETA.
- Drake, Sarah (June 6, 2013). "Portland, Boise aquarium owners bringing one to Austin". Austin Business Journal. Austin. Archived from the original on June 10, 2013. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
- Plohetski, Tony (June 25, 2019). "Lawsuit: Austin girl bitten by unvaccinated lemur at aquarium". Austin American-Statesman.
- Powell, Jacqulyn (June 27, 2019). "Family sues Austin Aquarium, claiming lemur bit daughter". KXAN.
- "Austin Aquarium still on track despite prison sentence, owner says". statesman.com. Archived from the original on 11 December 2013. Retrieved 27 April 2018.