Sea Life Arizona facts for kids
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| Location | Tempe |
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| Coordinates | 33°23′05″N 111°57′48″W / 33.38472°N 111.96333°W |
Sea Life Arizona is a super fun, interactive aquarium located inside the Arizona Mills mall in Tempe, Arizona. It's a huge place, covering 26,000 square feet, which is like a giant underwater world!
At Sea Life Arizona, you can see thousands of amazing water creatures. They have special pools where you can gently touch some animals. There's also a cool 360-degree ocean tunnel that makes you feel like you're swimming right alongside the fish! This aquarium is part of a big family of aquariums run by a company called Merlin Entertainments. They have over 40 aquariums in many countries around the world, including eight right here in the United States.
Contents
Meet the Ocean Animals!
Sea Life Arizona is home to many different kinds of ocean animals. Here are just some of the amazing creatures you can discover:
Sharks and Rays
- Whitetip Reef Shark: These sharks are often found resting on the seafloor.
- Blacktip Reef Shark: Known for the black tips on their fins, these sharks are very active.
- Brown Shark (also called Sandbar Shark): A common coastal shark that can grow quite large.
- Atlantic Ray: These graceful creatures glide through the water.
- Cownose Ray: You can recognize them by their unique snout, which looks a bit like a cow's nose!
Colorful Fish
- Angelfish: These fish are known for their bright colors and flat bodies.
- Clown Triggerfish: They have a unique pattern of spots and stripes.
- Clownfish: Just like Nemo! These fish often live safely among sea anemones.
- Lionfish: Be careful! These fish have long, venomous spines.
- Cowfish: They have a boxy body shape and two small "horns" on their head.
- Yellow Tang Fish: These fish are bright yellow and very popular in aquariums.
- Blue Tang Fish: Dory from Finding Nemo is a blue tang! They are a vibrant blue color.
Other Cool Creatures
- Lined Seahorse: These delicate creatures use their tails to hold onto plants.
- Jellyfish: Watch these mesmerizing creatures float and pulse in the water.
- Green Sea Turtle: These large turtles are named for the greenish color of their fat.
- Hermit Crab: These crabs live in discarded shells and carry their homes with them.
- Starfish: Also known as sea stars, they come in many shapes and colors.
- Cleaner Shrimp: These tiny shrimp help other fish by cleaning parasites off them.
Helping Our Oceans: Conservation Efforts
Sea Life Arizona does important work to help protect ocean animals. They provide a safe home for aquatic creatures that have been injured or are disabled. Without their help, these animals might not survive in the wild.
For example, in 2012, an endangered Green Sea Turtle named Ziva found a permanent home at the aquarium. She lives in their huge 161,000-gallon display, where she can swim and thrive safely.
Sea Life aquariums around the world also work hard to breed many types of seahorse. Seahorses are at risk of disappearing from the ocean because of too much fishing and trade. By breeding them, aquariums help increase their numbers. Some Sea Life centers also have special seahorse exhibits. These exhibits teach visitors about these unique creatures and why it's so important to protect them.
