If you have an urge to explore the depths of the sea and see sharks that you have only seen on the internet but are afraid to dive deep, now you have Georgia Aquarium to provide you with an underwater experience. You won’t find such a variety of experiences, hands-on exhibits, and marvel at real wonders like no other place on earth.
Introducing the new Shark Gallery at the Georgia Aquarium! A unique exhibit, Predators of the Deep, stands out as one of the most compelling exhibits in North America. Featuring some of the most recognized apex predators, the gallery gives you a close-up look at some of the most mysterious and fascinating creatures that live in the ocean.
Sharks are perceived as dangerous to humans, and most of us are afraid of going into the water just because of the fear of shark attacks. However, it’s not exactly true. With over 500 species, there are only a few that are regarded as dangerous; the rest of them are good in nature and may only turn hostile when provoked.
There are species that you can not only own but can also keep as pets. As a species that has lived in the ocean for over 400 million years, sharks are now under threat of extinction, and humans are largely to blame for this due to overfishing, shark finning, and consumption.
The Georgia Aquarium is the ideal place to foster more understanding of the shark, a species that is widely misunderstood. In addition to its focus on shark conservation and the vital role sharks play in the health of the ocean, Georgia Aquarium is committed to providing an educational experience for all.
Georgia Aquarium provides an incredible visual entry into the mysterious ocean habitat of sharks, providing us with an opportunity to learn sharks’ behavior. Find out how many sharks there are at the Georgia Aquarium.
How many sharks are at the Georgia Aquarium?
At Georgia Aquarium, more than 11 million gallons of water surround hundreds of species of fish and sharks and thousands of other marine animals.
Do you know how much water is needed to fill an Olympic pool?
One of Georgia Aquarium’s most popular exhibits is the four-story Ocean Voyager tank that houses whale sharks. The whale sharks are the most popular attraction at Georgia Aquarium and are the largest fish in the Ocean.
Well, the whale shark is not the only species that you can see at the Georgia Aquarium, but as mentioned earlier, there are a lot many to explore and waiting for you to experience the adventure of the water world.
What sharks are in the Georgia Aquarium?
Sharks come in all different types, shapes, and sizes, and when it comes to the species you have in the Georgia Aquarium, you will find a diverse variety, including the small blacktip reef to the largest whale sharks.
Click here to see what ocean has the most sharks in the world?
While there are a number of shark species in the Georgia Aquarium, below, we are going to talk about a few of the famous and unique species that are hardly seen anywhere else in the world.
As stated above, the aquarium has set up an Ocean Voyager tank to inhabit the world’s largest whale shark. Whale sharks usually grow to be between 18 and 32 feet long, but the largest is reported to be about 61 feet long. The diet of a whale shark is mostly composed of plankton, including krill, fish eggs, shrimp, coral spawn, jellies, and small fish. Georgia Aquarium is the only aquarium in the US that has four whale sharks.
Sandbar sharks are the most common sharks in the western Atlantic but are never seen at the surface, preferring to swim at depths between 60 and 200 feet. Find out how deep sharks can go underwater?
As an opportunistic feeder, sandbar sharks will devour any kind of prey that they may encounter, including smaller sharks, rays, small fishes, and shrimp.
Newly hatched sharks bear stripes resembling zebra stripes. Zebra sharks often live at the bottom of large ocean troughs and are nocturnal, making them safe to humans. As one of the few sharks that have a spiracle behind their eye, zebra sharks can keep their breath constant while also staying alive. Check out how do Sharks sleep if they can’t stop swimming?
As a result of its unique traits, the swell shark has a peculiar response when threatened. In response to threats, swell sharks curl their bodies into a U shape and swallow water, supping up to almost twice their size, appearing larger and becoming difficult to bite. With their mouths open, the sharks wait for prey to be caught. They remain motionless on the bottom, devouring small fish and crustaceans.
A near-threatened species, spotted wobbegongs are bottom-dwelling sharks that mainly prey on bottom invertebrates and bony fishes. With its powerful bite, the shark might bite if provoked or stepped on.
An individual of this species can grow up to 4 feet in length, and it eats bottom-dwelling fish and invertebrates. Be on the lookout for tasseled and spotted wobbegongs, especially in the Western Pacific, where they are commonly found, as they can hide in plain sight.
Other shark species
Aside from the species mentioned above, there are a lot more than you will find in Georgia Aquarium, which includes the following.
- Epaulet shark
- Pacific blacktip reef shark
- Great hammerhead shark
- Sand tiger shark
- Silky shark
- Silvertip shark
- Tiger shark
The Georgia Aquarium is home to thousands of different animal creatures including a wide array of sharks. So, if you haven’t had a chance to see a shark yet, you can expect to see it in the Georgia Aquarium when you visit and have a close-up look like never before.