Demolition of the old seal habitat to make room for a more modern, natural looking facility.

In September, construction crews began renovations on the seal habitat at the National Oceanic and Aeronautics Administration's (NOAA) Fisheries Service Woods Hole Science Aquarium, which is part of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Construction is expected to be completed this winter at an estimated cost of $750,000. During renovations, the aquarium expects to remain open its usual winter hours of 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The project includes demolition of the 1960s-era seal pool and construction on the same site of a larger, more naturalistic habitat that can provide permanent accommodations for two or three seals. The general contactor for the project is Z Corp, a construction firm based in Norfolk, Virginia.

"The new habitat will provide the seals with more swimming space," said Rachel Metz, senior aquarist at the Aquarium and lead seal handler. "The habitat will be more natural looking, have more places for seals to haul-out, and more variety in water depths," she said.

The project also includes a new life support system that will allow better water quality control, as well as specialized husbandry facilities—a kitchen and seal food prep area, and a holding area for seals that are taken off exhibit.

In addition to federal funds, the project is also supported with donations made by the public between 2001 and 2005. The largest of these was granted by the Edward Bangs Kelley and Elza Kelley Foundation in 2002. Thousands of smaller donations were also made by visitors, local residents and businesses.

In the 1990s the Woods Hole Science Aquarium began providing permanent homes for stranded seals that cannot be re-released to the wild after rehabilitation. The renovated seal habitat is scheduled to be completed in time to house seals next summer.

The public aquarium has been part of the federal fisheries laboratory in Woods Hole since 1885. Since 2000, NOAA and the Marine Biological Laboratory have worked to jointly develop aquarium programs that increase public interest in, and understanding of, marine science and the marine environment.

The Kelley Foundation is a Cape Cod organization that provides grants to support projects that promote the health and welfare of inhabitants of Barnstable County, Massachusetts.