Animal Lesson #14: Winter the Dolphin at Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Florida

Winter, the dolphin movie star

 If your kids grew up watching Dolphin Tale movie (2011)  about a boy and a dolphin whose tail was lost in a crab trap, they likely have special interest in visiting Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Florida.  The authors wrote the story based upon Winter the bottlenose dolphin and the Clearwater Marine Aquarium acted as the hero in creating a prosthetic so she could swim well.  The movie had such success that producers made a sequel called Dolphin Tale 2 (2014).  This sequel introduces a new dolphin superstar named Hope.  There's two other movie charters that live at the aquarium in real life - 1) Nicholas, a stranded dolphin briefly featured in Dolphin Tale and filmed in Dolphin Tale 2, 2) Rufus, a great white pelican trained for both movies and lives with 3 other great white pelicans.  Winter passed away in Nov. 2021, but you can still visit Hope at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.

We visited during Spring Break and the place had quite the crowd.  My daughter even found a classmate from Illinois!  However, the facility significantly expanded since our trip, so enjoy the space.  There's no doubt that Winter was the star of the show and handlers showed the prosthetic and how well she could swim.  However, the aquarium offered other shows too and the animals showed off impressive stunts.  Kids will learn about conservation too.  The facility hosts many free talks throughout the day including 

Turtle Talk, Otter Talk, Resident Dolphin Talk, 

Stingray Talk, and Shark Talk.  

Turtle photo by Krenda

We listened to most of them and visited all the exhibits which included river otters, turtles, stingrays, sharks, and pelicans.

If you want to extend your experience, the aquarium offers a stingray feeding experience in which you can feed fish to stingray for $10 extra fee.  You can also purchase a 60-minute dolphin and wildlife tour boat ride, $20 for child or adult, which travels around a bird sanctuary island while the crew discusses local wildlife.

Aquarium entrance fee cost nearly $40 for adults and $30 for kids, but the fee supports a good cause.  The aquarium is run by a non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of sick and injured marine animals.  Marine animals not fit to release remain at the aquarium.  Hats off to the aquarium employees, real heroes of the marine world.

Clearwater Marin Aquarium lists as a dolphinarium in wikipedia.  I didn't realize the special term for an aquarium for dolphins at marine parks, zoos, or theme parks.  I realized we have visited many other dolphinariums including Sea World, Georgia Aquarium, Indianapolis Zoo, Brookfield Zoo, Shedd Aquarium, and Texas State Aquarium.  See also my blog article about a dolphin encounter in Honduras.  Our family just can't get enough of these smart creatures.

 

Animal Lesson #11: 7 Aquariums with Shark Viewing

Whale Shark, photo by Krenda

You are more likely to have lightning strike you or get killed by a tornado than get attacked or killed by a shark.  Yet over 100 million sharks get killed each year.  While the world has over five hundred shark species, only a dozen species are known to attack humans.  Sharks are powerful and graceful, using six senses including electroreception through special sensors.

Whale Shark Georgia Aquarium

A friend of mine at work recommended that I swim with whale shark off the shores of Mexico.  Intrigued, I researched the endangered shark to find out where I could view one in the United States.  Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta holds the record of the first and only place to keep whale sharks outside of Asia.  The book Amazing Places to Take Your Kids by Laura Sutherland recommends the aquarium and recognizes the amazing exhibit, "They roam the waters of a six-million-gallon tank they share with thousands of other fish, including sawfish, giant grouper, stingrays, and hammerhead sharks.  I've been to a lot of aquariums; this exhibit is spectacular.

Whale sharks hold the record of being the largest known fish species.  The largest stretched 41.5 feet and weighed approximately 47,000 pounds.  Originating approximately sixty million years ago, whale sharks are filter feeders.  Only two other filter feeding sharks, megamouth shark and basking shark, exist.

The whale shark gentle nature and sheer size steals the show at the Georgia Aquarium.  As the largest aquarium in the world, you may easily spend a half day at the other exhibits, touch tanks, and the dolphin show.
You may travel to exotic seas, go diving, and have the opportunity to see a whale shark in the wild.  Whale sharks also live off the Bay Island Honduras, Thailand, the Philippines, the Maldives, Western Australia, Belize, and Puerto Rico.  However, for an easy way to see sharks with your family, consider the following aquariums:

Visitors and Whale Shark Georgia Aquarium

1.  Monterey Bay Aquarium, California, adults $49.95 and child (age 3-12) $29.95
second largest aquarium in the world, offers education including "Project White Shark" 15 min. talk about the threatened white shark, and "Kelp Forest Feeding" diver hand feeds sharks and other animals during 15 minute presentation

2.  Shedd Aquarium, Illinois, adults $39.95 and child (age 3-11) $29.95
90 minute behind the scene to see shark mealtime $89.95

3.  Florida Aquarium Tampa, Florida, adults $28.95 and child $23.95 discounted online pricing
Shark Swim experience allows age 9 and up to snorkel with sand tiger sharks for $110 each
Scuba dive with sharks requires certification and $160 fee

4.  Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, Nevada, adult $25, child (4-12) $19
100 sharks including grey reef, blacktip, zebra, sand tiger, sandbar, nurse, and whitetip reef
$650 to dive with sharks

5.  Newport Aquarium, Newport, Kentucky, adults $24.99, child $17.99
Suspended rope bridge takes you inches above sharks, over 12 species including sand tiger, blacktip, California leopard shark, and Port Jackson shark
Private overnight on Mon. Tue. with min. 20 people and $49.99 per person

6.  Florida Keys Aquarium, Florida, adults $20, child (4-12) $15
Predator Reef Tank includes nurse, blacktip, sandbar, blacknose, and bonethead shark,
Big Shark Bay Encounter offers Pet and feed nurse shark $18

 I've also been to the Shedd and Newport Aquarium and recommend these aquariums too.