Canada border now has its own exhibit at the Aquarium of Niagara 
By Lauren Hall US Source: WGRZ 2/22/2021
Lauren Hall
The Asian arowana's amazing survival story will teach visitors about the dangers of illegal wildlife trade as well as sustainability and conservation.
If only fish could talk, this one would have quite the survival story to tell. From a plastic bag in the wheel well of a car, to its own exhibit at the Aquarium of Niagara, the Asian arowana has a forever home.

The rare fish was once confiscated at the U.S.-Canada border. A smuggler was trying to take it over the border with several other fish, who didn't make the trip.
 



The species is critically endangered and it is illegal to import them into this country. They're highly coveted in Chinese culture and can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The Aquarium cared for the fish for several years behind the scenes, before teaming up with NOCO to create the new exhibit, called "Dangerous Beauties."

President & CEO Gary Siddall says the Aquarium's location near border literally puts them in a position to be the best place to care for an animal when things like this happen.

"That is the call of duty that we answer here," he told 2 On Your Side. "Our whole mission concerns itself with the protection of aquatic life, and when you hear that there was an animal like that this was in very unideal conditions, trying to be smuggled into the country, and we get to then step in and provide that role and provide that home, and then take it a step further and tell the story. That's exactly the line of work that we're in."

 
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