Birch Aquarium Welcomes Animal Ambassadors
These animals play a key role in conservation outreach and education.
Photos by: Jordann Tomasek, Birch Aquarium
La Jolla, CA (March 18, 2025)—Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego is excited to welcome several new animals to delight guests! New Animal Ambassadors have recently joined the aquarium to spotlight their species and the conservation efforts being done in their ecosystems. Two of the first new additions — a Laughing Kookaburra and a Central Bearded Dragon — expand the stories of the aquarium’s conservation work in Australia.
Animal Ambassadors are animals that interact directly with the public. At Birch Aquarium, this includes the species in Tide Pool Plaza that bring guests into the world of local tide pools and introduce them to the incredible diversity in this dynamic ecosystem. These interactions can lead to deeper personal connections between guests and the species’ wild environments. The new Australian animals will bring this same level of deep connection to the other Australian animals already represented at the aquarium, such as the Little Blue Penguins and Weedy Seadragons, while helping guests build closer connections to these species and discover the impactful conservation work happening at the aquarium and with our partners.
“There is just something different that clicks for people when they see an animal up close and in person,” said Kayla Strate, Assistant Curator of Birds. “They can watch a hundred videos but having this slithering, climbing, blinking being right in front of you makes it real. It reminds you how incredible our natural world is and can make you feel protective, like you want to save it.“
About our Animal Ambassadors
Laughing Kookaburras are large brown and white birds in the Kingfisher family with a distinctive “laughing” call that gives them their common name. They primarily eat insects, worms and other small prey and will occasionally eat things like small snakes and frogs. Laughing Kookaburras are found throughout eastern Australia in woodlands and forests.
Central Bearded Dragons are wide and flat with elongated scales that make them appear spiky. They are omnivores, eating vegetation and fruit as well as insects and prey like small lizards and mammals. Central Bearded Dragons are found in forests, shrubland and grasslands across Australia and prefer warmer temperatures where they can bask in the sun.
“I think the fastest way to fall in love with our natural world is to see an animal in person, learn about its life and its story,” Strate continued. “Then you care about its wellbeing and then you'll want to protect it. This is our most important mission as an aquarium.”
Guests can find the Laughing Kookaburra in the aviary at the aquarium’s Entrance Courtyard on a rotating schedule throughout the day. The Central Bearded Dragon will also be greeting guests on a rotating basis so be sure to check the daily schedule before planning a visit to the aquarium.
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