Aquaventure World is celebrating the UAE’s native shark species from Friday, 12th July to Monday, 12th August during its “Summer of Sharks”. The Lost Chambers Aquarium is set to be transformed into a captivating world for shark enthusiasts with a jaw-dropping array of fun and educational experiences on offer. The destination is also introducing two NEW marine programmes, including Ray Feeding and Freediving Explorer, providing guests with an opportunity to experience incredible marine animals up close.
Aquaventure World’s “Summer of Sharks” aims to raise awareness about these fascinating species and inspire guests to protect them in the wild and give back to initiatives that support marine conservation. For every marine animal experience participated in by a guest, Atlantis Dubai contributes $1 USD into local and international conservation and sustainability projects every year. The 2024-25 list of grantees receiving support from Atlantis Atlas Project’s 1 USD programme will be awarded later this summer.
NEW MARINE PROGRAMMES
NEW Ray Feeding – Guests are invited to join Atlantis Dubai’s experienced team of aquarists and hand feed the diverse collection of stingrays at the Shark Lagoon located in Aquaventure Waterpark. Stand in waist deep water as the graceful rays swim up for food during this educational and interactive programme. The new Ray Feeding can be booked from Friday, 12th July and will remain available beyond “Summer of Sharks”.
- Ages: 6 years and above and a minimum height of 1.2 metres (children aged 6 to 13 years must be accompanied by an adult)
- Timings: Daily at 1:00pm, 2:00pm and 3:00pm
- Prices start from AED 480 for children and AED 530 for adults including an educational briefing, FREE same day access to Aquaventure Waterpark and discounted same day admission rates to The Lost Chambers Aquarium. Guests should bring their own swimwear.
- Ray Feeding experience can be booked at the Aquaventure Ticketing Plaza or by calling +971 4 426 0000.
NEW Freediving Explorer – The NEW Freediving Explorer allows certified free divers to discover the underwater world of the Ambassador Lagoon, the UAE’s largest open-air aquarium, under the supervision of the Atlantis dive team. Guests can practice free diving skills, capture content, and enjoy swimming alongside 65,000 marine animals. The programme will launch on Saturday, 20th July and will remain available beyond “Summer of Sharks”.
- Participants must have a current freediving certification from a reputable organisation, including but not limited to PADI Freediver.
- Ages: 12 years and above
- Timings: Saturday and Sunday, 7:00am and 8:00am
- Prices start from AED 795 including an educational briefing, use of freediving equipment, 60 minutes spent in water, towels and water, and FREE same day access to The Lost Chambers Aquarium. Guests should bring their own swimwear (wetsuits are provided and required).
- Freediving Explorer can be booked at the Aquaventure Ticketing Plaza or by calling +971 4 426 00 00.
COMPLIMENTARY “SUMMER OF SHARKS” ACTIVITIES
Throughout “Summer of Sharks”, visitors to The Lost Chambers Aquarium will also be treated to a whole host of complimentary in-aquarium activities, taking place daily from Friday, 12th July to Monday, 12th August. This includes a Shark Discovery Trail from 10:00am-9:00pm where guests will find answers to trivia questions by following a trail through the aquarium (entries with the correct answers will have a chance to win a shark-themed weekend stay at Atlantis, The Palm); Shark Education Stations from 10:00am to 9:00pm where Atlantis marine educators will share interesting facts; Shark-themed Face Painting and Arts and Crafts at 11:00am and 5:00pm; a Shark and Ray Nursery Feed and Expert Talk at 2:00pm; JAWESOME Shark Bingo at 3:00pm; a Shark-Themed Aquatheatre Show with Atlantis scuba divers at 3:45pm; and Shark Trivia for guests to test their razor-sharp knowledge at 5:00pm.
Visitors can also say hello to the friendly shark mascot, who will be floating around The Lost Chambers Aquarium daily at 10:00am, 1:30pm and 6:00pm.
SHARK-THEMED PROGRAMMES
In addition to the complimentary “Summer of Sharks” activities, there are a variety of programmes guests can book to get up close with the UAE’s native shark species. Beginner divers can experience Dive Discovery and follow a shark-themed trail underwater, and those who want to swim on the surface can reserve Shark Snorkel, don a fun, foam shark fin and marvel at the host of marine life below. Other programmes available to book include Dive Explorer, Predator Dive, Aquatrek Xtreme, Shark Safari, Ultimate Snorkel, Shark Tales Tour and Shark Specialist.
To learn more about “Summer of Sharks”, purchase tickets for The Lost Chambers Aquarium or book one of the shark-themed programmes, visit https://www.aquaventureworld.com/tickets/whats-on/summer-of-sharks
SHARKS OF THE UAE
It’s no surprise that many different types of sharks call the UAE home, at least for a few months of the year, as the UAE and its neighbouring countries are blessed with a rich and vibrant level of biodiversity. And as with any healthy ecosystem, sharks are there to maintain it. Here are a few little-known facts about the sharks who share the coastline with Dubai residents:
- Most sharks are actually coastal species but will rarely venture inland. There are yearly sightings of large whale sharks along the beaches and the marinas of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
- One of the most common species of sharks that lives in the Gulf is the Blacktip Reef Shark. Blacktip Reef Sharks are generally small, growing only to a maximum of 1.6 metres with a slim and streamlined body shape. With their calm and docile nature, these sharks pose very little threat to people and are certainly not to be feared.
- Fears about sharks are often misguided, as sharks are far less dangerous than movies like Steven Spielberg’s 1975 classic ‘Jaws’ depict. A shark’s instinct when discovering that humans are near is to turn the other way – because more often than not, the average-sized person will be much bigger than most sharks.
- Sadly, approximately 75 million sharks are killed every year, either through targeted fisheries or as bycatch, with the main driver being their fins which are used for shark fin soup. Sharks play a crucial role in maintaining the health of the oceans, and therefore must be protected. The presence of reef-associated sharks in the UAE’s ecosystem is a promising sign that it is healthy.
- To help protect sharks under threat in the wild, people can choose to buy responsibly sourced seafood, avoid buying shark products, and support organisations that work to protect this fascinating marine animal.
To learn more about Atlantis Atlas Project and get involved with its upcoming initiatives, please visit: www.atlantis.com/atlasproject.