Sea Life Arizona
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Location | Arizona Mills, Tempe, Arizona, USA |
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Status | Operating |
Owner | Merlin Entertainments |
General manager | Joanna Hobday |
Theme | Aquarium |
Website | https://www.visitsealife.com/arizona/ |
SEA LIFE Arizona is an interactive aquarium located at Arizona Mills in Tempe, Arizona. The aquarium contains thousands of aquatic creatures, plus interactive touch pools and a 360° ocean tunnel. SEA LIFE Arizona is owned and operated by Merlin Entertainments. "Merlin Entertainment Group chose Tempe, Arizona to build a 26,000 square foot aquarium. While this was only the second aquarium by this group located within the U.S. [at the time], they have more than 30 other Sea Life aquariums in 11 countries on two continents". [1] "Merlin Entertainments, as of 2015, operates eight SEA LIFE aquariums in the U.S. as well as Legoland Resorts. Merlin is breaking ground this summer on a Legoland Discovery Center that will open near Sea Life Arizona in spring 2016.[2]
Main Species
White Tip Reef Shark | Great Pacific Octopus | Hermit Crab | Angel Fish | Blacktip Reef Shark |
Lined Seahorse | Clown Trigger Fish | Atlantic Ray | Cownose Ray | Jellyfish |
Brown Shark | Clownfish | Green Sea Turtle | Lionfish | Sea Star |
Cleaner Shrimp | Cowfish | Yellow Tang Fish | Blue Tang Fish |
Conservation
SEA Life Arizona is involved with a number of conservation activities. These include:
Seahorse Breeding
SEA LIFE Arizona has successfully bred and reared nine different of species of seahorse to date, helping prevent the breeds from becoming extinct. This means that no seahorses will ever be taken from the wild for their exhibitions, and they may be able to resupply seahorses if they become extinct in the wild.
Re-Homing
SEA LIFE Arizona provides permanent homes for injured or disabled aquatic creatures who would have otherwise been killed or put to sleep. In 2012 SEA LIFE Arizona became the home of an endangered green sea turtle named Ziva. Ziva was placed in the Tempe aquarium's 161,000 gallon display where she can happily live the rest of her life. [3] Ziva continues to live her life at SEA LIFE Arizona where guests from all over the world may come and visit her [4]
Protection of Turtles
A fundraising campaign run by SEA LIFE has enabled a new Sea Turtle Rescue and Wildlife Information Centre to be built on the Greek island of Zaykynthos to treat turtles who have been injured in collisions with pleasure craft or entanglement in fishing gear.[5]
References
- ^ http://phoenix.about.com/od/gardensandzoos/ss/sealife.htm
- ^ http://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/events/2015/06/26/arizona-summer-phoenix-weather-kids/28923855/
- ^ http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2012/02/16/20120216endangered-sea-turtle-finds-refuge-arizona.html
- ^ http://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/events/2015/06/26/arizona-summer-phoenix-weather-kids/28923855/
- ^ [1]