Coral World Ocean Park facts for kids
Coral World Undersea Observatory Tower
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| Date opened | 1978 |
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| Location | St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands |
| Coordinates | 18°20′56″N 64°51′54″W / 18.3490241°N 64.8650489°W |
| Volume of largest tank | 80,000 US gallons (303,000 L) |
Coral World is a cool marine park and tourist spot. It's located right next to Coki Beach on the East End of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. It's a fantastic place to explore the ocean world and learn about amazing sea creatures!
Contents
Exploring Coral World
Since it opened in 1978, Coral World has had a special
Underwater Observatory Tower. This tower goes down 20 feet into the ocean. It lets you see fish and other sea life up close, just like you're underwater yourself!
Later, the park added an 80,000-gallon tank. This tank is called the Caribbean Reef Encounter. It's home to many local fish and other sea animals. You can also see playful South American sea lions here! Coral World uses a special system. It brings fresh ocean water directly into the exhibits. This helps keep the animals healthy and happy.
Amazing Animals You Can See
Besides sea lions, you can meet many other animals at Coral World. These include sea turtles, stingrays, young sharks, seahorses, sea stars, conch, sea cucumbers, iguanas, and colorful lorikeets. Many animals, like the sea turtles, are rescued from the wild. The park helps them get better. Then, they are released back into the ocean when they are ready.
Fun Ways to Interact
Coral World is all about teaching visitors and letting them get close to the animals. You can touch some animals, help feed them, or even swim with them! They also offer fun activities like snuba and Sea Trek. These activities let you explore underwater without needing full diving gear.
A Look at Coral World's History
Coral World first opened its doors in 1978. It was the second marine park opened by Coral World International. The first one was in Eilat, Israel.
Facing the Storms
In 1989, a big storm called Hurricane Hugo caused a lot of damage to the park. Then, in 1995, another storm, Hurricane Marilyn, destroyed the observatory and other tanks. After these storms, Coral World was sold to new owners.
New Additions and Changes
In the 1990s, Coral World even hired a famous person! Former world boxing champion Julian Jackson worked as a tour guide. This helped attract more visitors to the park.
In 2007, the park added sea lions, which quickly became a favorite attraction. In 2012, Coral World suggested adding a new area where visitors could swim with dolphins. By 2018, Coral World began building an in-ocean dolphinarium.
Recent Challenges
In 2017, two strong storms, Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria, hit the park. They caused about $2 million in damage. But Coral World worked hard to recover and continue sharing the wonders of the ocean.
Gallery
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Sea lion Remo jumping at Coral World
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Sea turtles feeding at Coral World
