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London aquarium/sea life

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by Johnny, 26 Feb 2009.

  1. Johnny

    Johnny Well-Known Member

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    The london aquarium has been taken over last year by the same company that exploits the sea life centres. The intention is that it has to become sea life london. I'm wondering if anybody knows what they want to refurbish. They wil reopen in march. I have visited the aquarium in 2007, and I thought it better than an average sea life centre. My fear is that the parts that distinguish it from an average sea life ( the coral area, and the fresh water area) will disappear from display in favour of some 'amazonia' or something like that.
     
  2. JamesB

    JamesB Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    I think its still called london aquarium (I got a sealife voucher and they still call it that) It sounds like a good move and i yes i do wonder if they will make themed sections like the other sealife centres.
     
  3. devilfish

    devilfish Well-Known Member

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    I visited last summer, and though they already have an amazonia section, I wouldn't be surprised if they set up a typical sealife centre-style display instead of one of the outstanding exhibits they already have; particularly as they're trying to make it their flagship branch.
    They're looking to build a tunnel through what was their atlantic tank. They also say that they will introduce sea turtles and judging by the fact that the stingray pool is one of the few exhibits closed to the public, I guess they're going to turn it into a touch tank. Sealife centres keep stating their opposition to keeping large sharks, especially sandtigers, in captivity - so I assume that they're going to go.
    There are several related articles about the expansion on Practical Fishkeeping magazine | the number one aquarium fish magazine in the UK, but this one seems to give the most detailed account of what's happening:
    Sparsholt students help move London Aquariums fish | Practical Fishkeeping magazine
     
  4. Johnny

    Johnny Well-Known Member

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    The atlantic display is not the one with the sandtigers. It's not unimaginable that because of the difficulty of transporting sharks of that size they are not removed from the collection. I find it hard to imagine they would change much on the coral reef displays. Now they got living corals, instead of the sealife fake coral reef aquarium. But I'm afraid sealife wants to put it's mark on the aquarium, clearly the building of an underwatertunnel shows that. They don't say anything about the freshwater area, so maybe.......
     
  5. Zambar

    Zambar Well-Known Member 15+ year member 10+ year member 5+ year member

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    So if the sand tigers would be staying, does that mean Sea Life would undergo a change of ethos?
     
  6. Johnny

    Johnny Well-Known Member

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    I don't think so, nor do I know for sure if they keep them! But beside the fact of difficulties during transport, they are of course the main attraction of the aquarium, so even sealife would think twice before taking them out of the collection, so I hope they keep them;)
     
  7. Johnny

    Johnny Well-Known Member

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    The atlantic tank has been reopened:

    Home :: London :: SEA LIFE

    I can't find any further information, perhaps somebody else can?
     
  8. devilfish

    devilfish Well-Known Member

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  9. vogelcommando

    vogelcommando Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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