They weigh in at just three pounds and are absolutely adorable, especially when their blue sheen is on display underwater. The aquarium’s newest attraction: Little blue penguins (sometimes called fairy penguins) are the smallest of all penguin species. While there are jaw-dropping sights outside, what’s really impressive is the amazing collection of sea creatures housed inside. It’s got some cool neighbors, too, like the historic Battleship New Jersey and the Camden Children’s Garden. “I thought a shark was going to come and bite me,” the little boy said.Have you been down to the Adventure Aquarium yet? This marine life oasis sits right on the waterfront, offering a gorgeous view of the Philadelphia skyline. He crossed with his father, Tetsushi, and sister, Miyuki, 9. Hiroki, 6, had conquered his initial fear of walking over the sharks and was thrilled by his accomplishment. The Dan family of Wayne, Passaic County, was all smiles when the crossing was completed. While the bridge frightened at least one small child, who was crying by the time he reached the end, most young visitors seemed happy to experience it. “It didn’t bother the sharks’ environment at all,” she said. Nicole Grandinetti, curator of fish and invertebrates, said construction of the bridge had no known impact on the sharks in the tank, and no materials entered the water.
"Most guys aren't used to working around sharks." "Anytime we had construction workers on the dock, we had husbandry staff here," Hess said. As a precaution, staff trained in handling sharks stood by, ready to assist if a problem arose.
"There were too many to pull out," he said.Ī floating raft, handrails, scaffolding and life vests protected workers, while the raft also prevented debris from falling into the tank. According to Douglas Hess, the project manager for Shark Bridge, the animals remained in the water the entire time the attraction was being built. In addition to the bridge, the popular Shark Realm tank features a transparent tunnel that allows visitors to walk through it, as well as more traditional viewing areas.īuilding the bridge presented unique challenges to contractors. The aquarium features more than 8,500 species. Karen Fleming and Robyn Jarman agreed, and the group, including 2-year-old Madison Jarman, joined the queue to take another turn crossing the bridge. “Can we go again?” they asked their mothers. Both girls said they liked walking over the sharks. As they completed their initial walk from one end to the other, 5-year-old Kathryn Fleming, of Mount Laurel, and Olivia Jarman, 4½, of Moorestown, were excited. On opening day, school groups and young children were among the first to cross over the V-shaped bridge. “Shark Bridge will leverage a thrilling experience to encourage guests to make a connection between themselves, the sharks, and what they can do to help long after their visit to Adventure Aquarium.” “We hope to engage and inspire our guests to revere, not fear, these majestic and misunderstood creatures,” said Vince Nicoletti, executive director and vice president of the aquarium. Instead, aquarium staff is hoping the up-close experience will help to dispel some of visitors' reservations about the sand tigers, nurse sharks and sandbar tigers swimming beneath them. Shark Bridge, which opened to the public April 8, provides an opportunity to cross over the top of the popular 550,000-gallon Shark Realm tank and view the aquatic life swimming underneath.īuilt with nearly 4 tons of steel and enough rope to span the length of 63 football fields, the 81-foot bridge isn't designed to be intimidating. A narrow walkway suspended above shark-infested water is giving a unique thrill and a fresh perspective to visitors at Adventure Aquarium in Camden.
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