Living Coast Discovery Center

Living Coast Discovery Center

Established	1987 as the Chula Vista Nature Interpretive Center
Location	1000 Gunpowder Point Drive Chula Vista, California
Coordinates	32.641234°N 117.110470°W / 32.641234; -117.110470
Type	Nature center, aquarium and zoo
Website	www.thelivingcoast.org

The Living Coast Discovery Center is a zoo and public aquarium in Chula Vista, California. An environmental education center, it is located in the Sweetwater Marsh Unit of San Diego National Wildlife Refuge. Permanent displays at the Living Coast focus on native animals and plants found in Southern California and San Diego Bay.^[1]

History

The center was originally opened in 1987 as the Chula Vista Nature Interpretive Center; it was owned and operated by the City of Chula Vista. In 2010, the organization transitioned over to an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit and its current name.^[2]

Exhibits

Shovelnose guitarfish in the touch pool

The site consists of several large exhibit spaces:

• Turtle Lagoon – Green sea turtles^[3][4]
• Discovery Center Galleria – includes seahorses, jellyfish, eels, sharks, lobsters, crabs, octopus, garibaldi damselfish, sea stars, snakes, lizards
• Shark & Ray Experience & Sting Ray Touch pool – Leopard sharks, grey smooth-hound sharks, horn sharks, swell shark, shovelnose guitarfish, bat rays, round rays, diamond rays, crabs, fish, and loggerhead sea turtle^[5]
• Burrowing Owl Courtyard
• Shorebird Aviary – light-footed Ridgway's rail, black-crowned night heron, black oystercatcher, red-breasted merganser, hooded merganser, and more
• Raptor Row – red-tailed hawk, red-shouldered hawk, Cooper’s hawk, peregrine falcon, turkey vulture, barn owl, great horned owl, burrowing owl, American kestrel
• Eagle Mesa – golden eagle, bald eagle
• Native plant gardens and composting demonstration garden

There are 1.5 miles of trails from the center in San Diego National Wildlife Refuge out to the shore of San Diego Bay.

In addition to general public exhibits, the center hosts over 15,000 school children at their facility each year for educational field trips that focus on science and environmental programs.

References

1. "City extends contract with Living Coast". San Diego Union-Tribune. September 30, 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
2. "Wildlife Neighbors at the Living Coast Discovery Center". Tree Huggers International. May 6, 2012. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
3. "Turtle Lagoon". Living Coast Discovery Center.
4. Vigil, Jennerfer (September 25, 2014). "130-pound Sea Turtle to Make Home at Chula Vista Center". Times of San Diego.
5. "Living Coast Discovery Center – San Diego's Hidden Nature Center". Bernasconi Bits. February 12, 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2016.

External links

• Official website

32.6401°N 117.1104°W / 32.6401; -117.1104