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Under the Narrows

Rockfish dart between “rusty” girders. Anemones bloom and wave. A wolf eel thrusts out its enormous jaw, staring silently.
Welcome to life Under the Narrows, rich and complex.

Dive under the Narrows

A tale of three bridges
and the animals underneath.
From Tacoma to Gig Harbor, two sweeping bridges extend over the swirling Tacoma Narrows. But a third – the infamous “Galloping Gertie” – lies buried, collapsed in 1940 and now home to fish, eels and other marine life. We recreate that rich habitat here.

Meet Our Animals

Quillback rockfish
Painted anemone
Brown rockfish

Keep the Sound clean

It takes everyone.

THE THREAT: Marine life under the Narrows bridges have adapted and thrived in human-made debris – like a fallen bridge. But human trash also pollutes Puget Sound, harming animals.

TAKE ACTION: Take care of our Sound: clean up a beach, pick up trash and dog poop. Go straw-free and ask your favorite restaurant to go ocean-friendly.

Aquarium Stories

Fine Dining with Sharks

It’s 8 a.m. at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, and there is a flurry of activity behind the scenes at the Tropical Reef Aquarium as meals are being prepared. Shrimp, … Continued

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How to Train a Shark

When you visit the Tropical Reef Aquarium, you’ll likely notice the massive nurse sharks hanging out on the bottom of the Outer Reef habitat. They generally don’t seem to be … Continued

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Meet Tater, the Potato Grouper  

The Tropical Reef Aquarium will reopen June 14, after extensive restoration and repair of critical animal-care structures, habitats, and life support systems. When guests walk back through the aquarium doors, … Continued

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Who's nearby?
Check out the Tidal Touch Zone, where you can touch sea creatures like anemones and sea stars.