Close to 15% of the animals living at the old museum had to be adopted by new aquariums. Three pelagic rays found a new home at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. To move them in the fall of 2003, aquarium biologists first had to perform an ultrasound test on the two female rays (named Morticia and Grey Ghost) to make sure they weren't pregnant. Randy was a male ray and could be moved anytime. The ultrasounds showed no pregnancies, so a team was organized to move them.

The water level in the tank was dropped to allow two people to wade in the water and catch the rays in a sling. This sling was passed up to two people on a narrow plank across the width of the tank. They, in turn, passed it to two more people who carried the sling down four flights of stairs. Then, it was passed up to people who released the ray into a transport box. The rays were driven to the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. After a brief layover, the rays were taken by airplane to their new home at the National Aquarium in Baltimore.

How did scientists transport snakes, alligator gars, and penguins across a busy city? Penguins, it turns out, were placed in dog/cat carriers lined with soft fabric. Snakes found comfort in canvas bags. (The dark space kept them calm while the soft fabric lining the inside protected their skin and allowed them to breathe.) Large animals, such as sea bass and alligator gars, were placed in stretchers and then taken to special transport tanks. The trucks drove very slowly to avoid the water from sloshing around too much.

In the summer of 2004, the alligator snapping turtles were moved from the Swamp exhibit at the old Golden Gate Park facility. Capable of growing up to 200 pounds, the alligator snapping turtle is one of the largest turtle species in the world. Their lifespan can extend up to a hundred years.

Because of their great weight, a series of teams (two people each), handed each turtle from one to another using a canvas sling until they could be placed on rolling carts. Because these turtles can bite with enough force to break bones, great care was taken by the staff members to keep their hands and fingers far from their strong jaws. Once the turtles were placed on rolling carts, the staff members sped their charges down the halls and out to the waiting truck. There, they were placed in tanks and driven to their temporary home on Howard Street. In Fall 2008, the alligator snapping turtles will repeat the journey, returning to their new home at the restored and refurbished Steinhart Aquarium in Golden Gate Park.