Interview with Dr. Carl Ray, Curator at the New York Aquarium

The NYPR Archive Collections | Jan 1, 2000

On this episode of World of the Arts, Dr. Ezra William (E.W.) Doty interviews Dr. Carlton Ray, a marine biologist, scuba diver, and curator at the New York Aquarium.

They discuss animals on exhibit at the Aquarium, such as toads, octopus, and rare seals, as well as research, staff, expansion plans and the danger of shark attacks at Coney Island.

"Now we're going to try to put on fishes and animals as they live in their environment, showing the delicate balance between the environment and man and nature and the living things, try to bring this home to people."

Ray estimates that the facility will expand to five times its present inside size, with a new laboratory and fish dome, described as "being inside a donut of water looking out at very large fishes."

They discuss the practicality of evolving man to live underwater as a solution to human overpopulation, "Now the physiological strain on man to do this is going to be solved we are going to be able to go there but how many people are going to be even willing to go there?"


Audio courtesy of the NYC Municipal Archives WNYC Collection


WNYC archives id: 150512
Municipal archives id: T715

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