Two new Zebra Sharks have joined their fellow shark friends in Surrounded by Sharks! These fascinating creatures get their name from their stripes along their back that they are born with, but these fade away and become spots as the shark ages. The Zebra Sharks are easy to find exploring their new home with their slender whippy tails, golden color and smiling friendly faces. Come meet these adorable animals and spot them from Shark Ray Bay Theater, the Surrounded by Sharks Tunnel and Shark Bridge!
Shan the Shark Ray is making herself at home in Surrounded by Sharks! She recently arrived and is one of the first Shark Rays born under human care! Shan is named after one of her caretakers in Taiwan, where she was born in 2022. Currently a juvenile, Shan is a bit smaller than the other Shark Rays but will continue to grow and eventually join the Shark Ray Breeding program. Come meet Shan and see if you can spot her from Shark Ray Bay Theater, the Surrounded by Sharks Tunnel and Shark Bridge!
Everyone’s favorite amphibians – Axolotls – are here! These amazing aquatic salamanders are one of the few creatures on Earth that can regrow limbs and organs as well as use both gills and lungs to breathe. Fans fall in love with their signature feather-like branches around their heads, which are actually a set of external gills, and their adorable smiling faces. Be sure to see these cuties in Gator Alley on your next visit!
These comical-looking fish are known for their boxy shape that comes from rigid, bony plates that form a carapace, protecting them like a suit of armor! When a Yellow Boxfish becomes threatened, it can inflate itself to look larger to predators and release a toxin that is harmful to any fish in the surrounding area. You can find Yellow Boxfish now in Shore Gallery!
You can now meet the bizarre and unusual-looking Wunderpus at the ALL-NEW Ring of Fire: World of the Octopus! The Wunderpus mimics venomous fish and sea snakes as a defense against predators. With its long arms and spectacular brown and white stripe pattern, this fascinating creature can change in hue and contrast when hunting or hiding.
Giant Isopods scavenge the deep ocean floor in mud and sediment for deceased animals to eat and are the perfect example of deep-sea gigantism – a phenomenon where animals become extra-large! This adaption is due to extreme deep-sea pressure mixed with cold temperatures. This species is the largest known isopod, a family of animals that includes roly-polies. You can see the Giant Isopods roaming their new home now in the ALL-NEW Ring of Fire: World of the Octopus!
Meet the Peacock Mantis Shrimp now in the ALL-NEW Ring of Fire: World of the Octopus! Peacock Mantis Shrimp are known for their bright and multicolored shell that looks like a peacock’s tail. Plus, their hinged arms look very similar to a praying mantis. This crustacean can punch at speeds up to 50 times faster than a blink of an eye, which helps to break crab shells and is strong enough to break glass.
Two dozen Rockfish – including six new species – are now exploring their new home in the Pacific Coast Tunnel located between the Shore Gallery and the Seahorse Gallery. Scientists have identified 100 species of Rockfish and they are all different shapes, sizes and color patterns. On your next visit, have fun exploring the Pacific Coast Tunnel and discovering the differences between the new Rockfish, like the Honeycomb Rockfish pictured.
Celebrate a special delivery of 140 Dwarf Seahorses, including 105 newborn fry! Their name really sizes them up! Dwarf Seahorses are one of the smallest species of seahorse, measuring about ¼ inch at birth and up to 2 inches when fully grown. They have unique and muscular tails. In the wild, seahorses often wrap their tails around sea grass stems, coral heads, sponges or any other suitable objects when they need to anchor themselves. You can catch them hanging around in Seahorses: Unbridled Fun.
You can now see a colony of colorful live corals in Seahorses: Unbridled Fun. Corals can be put into two categories: hard and soft. Hard corals have rigid skeletons which build up the structure of the reef. Soft corals don’t have a skeleton, so they grow on an existing reef. Coral reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean, but are home to almost 25% of all known marine species! Check out these amazing animals on your next visit and learn more about what you can do to help protect them!
