 |
| Photo courtesy: SeaWorld |
Approximately 100 million sharks are killed by people every year in the wild, mainly for their fins, making conservation essential to preserve the species. SeaWorld is committed to educating and inspiring the next generation of shark conservationists through its park experiences. It is also committed to shark conservation outside its parks through partnerships and the SeaWorld Conservation Fund that has donated more than $300,000 to shark research conservation projects.
"We are privileged to care
for such a diverse population of shark species and to share these amazing
creatures with the public," said Dr. Chris Dold,
Chief Zoological Officer at SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.
"Protecting sharks is not always top of mind in part because so many
people don't understand the importance of this species and how they help keep
the ocean's ecosystem in balance. So, creating experiences that enable
the public to learn about sharks in fun and engaging ways is essential to
better understand and appreciate them as more than just predators. We encourage
shark fans everywhere to come out to our park and support Shark Awareness Day
and experience the wonder and awe of these stealthy creatures of the
deep."
Providing Park Guests
with the Ultimate Shark Experience Including Thrilling, Interactive and
Educational Encounters
SeaWorld parks provide a wide
range of shark experiences and shark themed activities including:
- Shark Encounter® offers a rare, fascinating, up-close look at
these prehistoric predators whose ancestors dominated the sea more than a
hundred million years before the dinosaur. The aquarium habitats include
several species of sharks, rays, and fish. San
Antonio features a 450,000-gallon aquarium and San Diego's 280,000-gallon attraction features a
57-foot acrylic tube running the length of the sharks' habitat. Orlando's 700,000-gallon aquarium includes one of
the world's largest underwater viewing tunnels.
- Explorer's Reef is home
to several species of sharks and in San Antonio
this includes zebra, sand tiger, blacktip, and nurse – all of which are
considered vulnerable species. Animal Care Ambassadors also share
interesting insights about these awesome animals at each habitat in San Antonio and San Diego.
In San Diego, guests can feel what it's
like to touch bamboo sharks and the touch pools.
- Behind the Scenes Shark Tours include 'Sharks Up-Close' in Orlando
and San Antonio that enable guests to go
behind the scenes above the habitat to peer down into the shark aquariums,
learning how we care for sharks and discovering more about the incredible
diversity and design of sharks from experts. Guests also can touch a small
shark, feed several species in the shark shallows in Orlando, and find out why these ancient species
need our help now more than ever.
- Move Like a Shark on Shark Inspired Roller Coasters include Orlando's Mako®,
voted Number 1 for Best Roller Coaster in 2021 in USA Today 10Best
Reader's Choice award, that is named for one of the ocean's fastest known
sharks and is the tallest and faster roller coaster in Orlando. This hyper coaster speeds up to 73 mph
and up to 200 feet high and surges through shipwreck reef. As the first
roller coaster ever at a SeaWorld park, this year marks the 25th
anniversary of the Great White roller coaster, a floorless, inverted
coaster with 360-degree flips and the grand-daddy of all SeaWorld® San
Antonio coasters. It takes riders on a nearly 50 mph floorless run of
breathtaking loops, corkscrews and thrilling curves.
- Feed the Sharks with
animal feeding stations in Orlando that
enable guests to feed sharks patrolling the Shark Shallows.
- Dine and Drink Next to Sharks at Orlando's Sharks
Underwater Grill® and Bar, recognized among the best
restaurants in Orlando, and experience
fascinating and ever-changing views of sharks as they swim past while
guests enjoy an upscale full-service dining experience. Fan favorite
cocktails the Mako Margarita and the all-new Shark-Tail offer refreshing
ways for adults to cool down and beat the heat while watching these
goliaths of the deep.
In addition, informative
signage teaches guests important information about shark conservation and ways
to get involved. For example, while guests are in the queue lines for SeaWorld
Orlando's shark-inspired roller coaster, Mako, guests can learn more about
sharks through digital displays. Interactions are hosted by marine wildlife
artist and conservationist Guy Harvey, who
provides access to real science and insights to sharks in the wild and ways
humans can help protect the species. Guests also have access to real-time shark
tracking and videos of compelling shark expeditions to better understand the
importance of this critical species.
 |
| Photo courtesy: SeaWorld |
World-Class Shark Care
and Rescue Too
Sharks at SeaWorld receive the
same standard of individualized care as every other species and animal in the
park. They are fed a nutritious diet including a variety of seafoods such
as herring, mackerel, salmon, squid, and shrimp. Every piece of food
consumed by every single shark is accounted for as part of the individualized
care each animal receives. Animal care specialists feed adult sharks about five
percent of their body weight a week during twice weekly feeding. Every
shark in our care also receives regular health examinations that include blood
draws, weight, size and more to ensure their ongoing health is monitored and
tracked.
While shark rescues are rare,
SeaWorld parks work with state and national organizations including the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and local departments of
the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to help. For example. SeaWorld
Orlando is home to several sand tiger sharks seized by law enforcement from an
individual who illegally collected them. Local authorities such as the Florida
Wildlife Commission enforce restrictions on the returning of animals to open
water once they have been in human care.
Commitment to the
Conservation of Threatened and Endangered Species
Like many other species, sharks
suffer many human threats such as overfishing, entanglement, shark finning and
bycatch – resulting in a reported more than 100 million deaths annually. Today,
more than 300 species of sharks are classified as endangered, including white
sharks, whale sharks and hammerheads.
As an accredited zoological
organization, SeaWorld participates in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
(AZA) SSP, a propagation and management program in accredited zoos to preserve
selected species typically classified as threatened or endangered. In
Orlando, guests can be among the first to see new zebra shark pups born as part
of one such program. In San Diego, guests can
see Australian leopard sharks cared for as part of maintaining sustainable
populations and genetic diversity of this endangered species.
Conservation extends beyond the
parks and since 2016 SeaWorld has partnered with global non-profit OCEARCH to support their efforts in shark conservation
through science and education. OCEARCH helps scientists collect previously
unattainable data in the ocean and to date it has tagged 432 animals on 43
expeditions and supported the research of 200 scientists.
OCEARCH Founder and Expedition
Leader Chris Fischer said, "Our partnership
with SeaWorld has been amazing. In the early days of our relationship, they
helped us build out and broaden all the science disciplines to maximize the
amount of knowledge and data we collect from every animal we sampled and
released. In particular, their expertise in reproductive biology is leading the
way in understanding how white sharks mate, reproduce, and give birth. We look
forward to partnering with them for many years to maximize the rate at which we
can collect data to return our oceans to balance and abundance."
SeaWorld also supports the
efforts of other third-party conservation organizations around the world
through the SeaWorld Conservation Fund. Since 2004, the fund has donated more
than $300,000 to several research projects that aim
to further knowledge and understanding of shark species through 3D shark
tracking, exploration of vulnerable shark habitats, autonomous underwater
vehicles, birthing ground, and shipwreck exploration, tagging and tracking, and
more.
