Posted at 12:06 p.m., Monday, April 11, 2005
Giant clams returned to Waikiki Aquarium
Advertiser Staff
Saying the clams were "cold, but otherwise healthy," officials today announced seven giant clams taken from Waikiki Aquarium were returned.They were found by a staff member on Saturday, tucked in a Tupperware container with water and gravel in a white shopping bag in the Aquarium's SeaVision Theatre, a news release said.
"The clams were cold but otherwise healthy," according to a news release.
Last week, aquarium Director Andrew Rossiter said the clams were to be part of the aquarium's captive breeding program, intended to help restock the threatened species in the wild. He said the theft had been a setback for that program.
The stolen clams are smaller cousins of the 250-pound Tridacna gigas on display in the aquarium's Gallery One — the largest such creature in captivity.
The clams that were returned were juveniles, and ranged in length from 1 to 4 inches. They do not exist in Hawaiian waters, and could die quickly if not properly cared for.
The attraction of the stolen clams, which reach a total length of no more than 18 inches, is not their size but their breathtaking iridescent emerald green, sapphire blue and orange topaz colors.
