Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay facts for kids
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| Date opened | June 20, 2000 |
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| Location | Las Vegas, Nevada, Nevada, United States |
| Coordinates | 36°05′25″N 115°10′36″W / 36.0903327°N 115.1765442°W |
| No. of animals | Over 2,000 |
| No. of species | Over 100 |
| Volume of largest tank | 1,300,000 US gal (4,900,000 L) |
| Total volume of tanks | 1,600,000 US gal (6,100,000 L) |
| Memberships | AZA |
The Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay is a cool public aquarium found inside the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. It's a place where you can see many amazing sea creatures.
The aquarium has a huge main tank that holds about 1.3 million gallons of water. That's like filling up more than 20,000 bathtubs! It's one of the biggest tanks in North America. The whole aquarium is about 95,000 square feet, which is bigger than a football field. You can see over 100 different kinds of animals here. These include many types of sharks, rays, fish, reptiles, and other sea animals called marine invertebrates. One of the most exciting parts is walking through a special shark tunnel where sharks swim all around you!
Contents
History of Shark Reef Aquarium
The Shark Reef Aquarium cost about $40 million to build. It first opened its doors on June 20, 2000. For a few years, it was just called "Shark Reef." But in 2007, they changed the name to "Shark Reef Aquarium." This was done so people would know right away that it was a place to see sea animals, not a restaurant or a bar.
In 2012, the aquarium made some cool updates. They replaced the old signs and audio guides with new, interactive touch screens. Now, visitors can learn about the animals by touching the screens, making the experience even more fun and modern.
Helping Animals and Our Planet
The people who work at Shark Reef Aquarium care a lot about protecting animals and the environment. They take part in a program called "Adopt-a-Cove" to help clean up Lake Mead, which is a big lake nearby.
When you visit, you get a map and guide that includes something called an "In Good Taste" guide. This small guide helps you learn about choosing seafood that is caught in a way that doesn't harm the ocean. The information in this guide comes from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation, which is famous for its conservation work. All around the aquarium, you'll see signs that teach you about important topics. These include the dangers of shark finning (a harmful practice for sharks), why it's bad to introduce new animals into places they don't belong, and other ways to protect our planet.
Saving the Devil's Hole Pupfish
The Shark Reef Aquarium is also helping a very rare fish called the Devil's Hole pupfish. These tiny fish live in only one natural place in the world, a deep pool called Devils Hole. In May 2005, some of these special fish were brought to the aquarium to help their population grow.
You can find some of these pupfish in a small exhibit at the aquarium. Plus, over 200 more are part of a special breeding program at another location. This program helps make sure these unique fish don't disappear forever.
Amazing Animals and Exhibits
The Shark Reef Aquarium has different areas, each with its own cool animals. Let's explore some of them!
The Jungle Exhibit
In the Jungle exhibit, you'll feel like you're in a rainforest. This area is home to various reptiles and land animals. You might see amazing creatures like golden crocodiles and the incredible Komodo dragon.
Meet the Komodo Dragon
On June 20, 2008, the Shark Reef Aquarium welcomed a Komodo dragon from the Miami Zoo. This giant lizard is now a star attraction in the Jungle Temple part of the aquarium. Komodo dragons are the largest lizards in the world, and seeing one up close is truly special!
Other Jungle Creatures
After the aquarium's 10th birthday, they added even more cool animals to the Jungle Temple. These include a huge Burmese python and two beautiful green tree monitors. These animals help make the jungle exhibit feel even more alive.
The Temple Exhibit
The Temple area offers a unique chance to get closer to some sea creatures.
The Touch Pool
Inside the Temple, there's a special touch pool. This is where you can gently touch and feel several marine species. You might get to touch horseshoe crabs and different kinds of rays. Sometimes, baby zebra sharks even visit the touch pool for a little while before moving to bigger tanks. It's a great way to have a hands-on experience with ocean life!
The Shipwreck and Main Tank
The Shipwreck exhibit leads to the aquarium's massive main tank. This tank holds 1.3 million gallons of water and is one of the biggest in North America. It's home to many incredible and important marine species.
You can see green sea turtles, Galapagos sharks, blacktip reef sharks, sand tiger sharks, and green sawfish swimming in this huge tank. Many of these animals are endangered or threatened, meaning they need our help to survive in the wild.
The Great Hammerhead Shark
For a time, Shark Reef Aquarium was the first aquarium in North America to have a great hammerhead shark in a closed system (meaning it wasn't in the open ocean). This young female shark was accidentally caught off the coast of Florida. She was flown to Mandalay Bay in August 2001 in a special tank.
After living in a private quarantine tank for 2.5 years, she was big enough to join the other sharks in the main tank. She was introduced to the public on November 3, 2003, and was six feet long! Sadly, she passed away in December 2004 due to an infection. She had grown to 6.5 feet long and weighed 95 pounds.
The Shark Ray
On the aquarium's 10th anniversary, they welcomed a new resident to the main tank: a bowmouth guitarfish, also known as a shark ray. These unique creatures look like a mix between a shark and a ray.
Images for kids
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The entrance to the Shark Reef Aquarium.
