Largest Aquarium - world record set by
The Georgia Aquarium
ATLANTA, GA, USA -- The Georgia Aquarium
holds more than 8.5 million gallons (31,000 cubic meters)
of salt and fresh water and displays up to 120,000 animals
that represent 500 species - setting
the new world record for the Largest
Aquarium.
Photo: Whale sharks, sawfish and stingrays
swim overhead in the underwater tunnel located in Ocean Voyager.
Photo: Georgia Aquarium
(enlarge
photo)
The World's
Largest Aquarium attraction, which opened in 2005,
holds more than 8 million gallons of water in its exhibits.
That includes the stunning 6-million-gallon Ocean Voyager
tank. A new dolphin exhibit slated to open in the fall adds
another 2 million gallons, cementing the title.
Among the animals displayed are four young whale
sharks, two beluga whales and two manta rays.
Designed around the whale shark exhibit,
the Georgia
Aquarium is the only institution outside of Asia to
house the largest living fish species. It is also one of only
two aquariums in the U.S. to exhibit Great Hammerhead sharks,
and it joined the rank of only four aquariums worldwide that
display manta rays.
The animals are displayed in five different
galleries that correspond to specific environments: Georgia
Explorer, Tropical Diver, Ocean Voyager, Cold Water Quest,
and River Scout. The Ocean Voyager exhibit features a 100
feet (30 meter) underwater tunnel that offers the worlds second
largest window.
Changing exhibitions focus on themes like
"Titanic Aquatic" and "Planet Shark: Predator or Prey." The
aquarium holds the title as worlds largest since the time
of its opening in November 2005.
It is working with Georgia Tech and Georgia State
University in Atlanta and the University of Georgia in Athens
to help save endangered species through education and research
programs.
Alistair Richards with Guinness World
Records in London, visited the downtown Atlanta attraction
and presented aquarium President David Kimmel with a certificate
naming it the world's
largest aquarium.
Aquarium spokeswoman Meghann Gibbons said
the attraction has held the world record since opening in
2005, but this is the first visit from a Guinness official.
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Related world records: Largest
school of sharks - The Dubai Aquarium
