Sea-ing is believing

By Kris Davy

In May, I was invited to the Oceanarium in Bournemouth to experience the opening of the new mammal display ‘Otter Oasis’. I had a great time, and straight away wanted to visit again.
I went at the beginning of July with my brother and his two children, Chloe and Bailey, but this time I wanted to have a proper browse without the hassle of rushing.

We walked through to the aquarium where a large attractive tank housing midas cichlids and an assortment of catfish were on display in the ‘Amazon’.  Also in this display are pacus, piranhas, and red eared terrapins, which overlook a ‘virtual’ rainforest.

Walking upstairs, I really got the feel of what this famous attraction has to offer.  Huge tanks with toddler-size fish dominate this area, and in the ‘Abyss’ display, Harry, the north Pacific giant octopus was out saying hello to the visitors - what a crowd pleaser. Japanese spider crabs and flashlight fish are also in this display, and even something called nautilus, which is considered as a living fossil and can be tracked back 500 million years.

Looking down at the Great Barrier Reef display, I was able to view some of the more well-known giants.  I was impressed with the giant green sea turtles, Friday and Crusoe – both of which I missed on my last visit.  Giant moray eels, cownose stingrays and blacktip reef and nurse sharks are amongst the many other favourites that live here. I was also lucky enough to watch a feeding display, which was one of the main highlights of the afternoon.

The Oceanarium is a great afternoon out for the whole family. Happy and tired children at the end of the day is always a welcome gift – so everyone’s a winner!

Remember, the Oceanarium doesn’t just feature marine animals – there’s so much more to explore. Iguanas, oriental small clawed otters and pig-nosed turtles are in the long list of other animals that will keep you entertained on your visit. Go to www.oceanarium.co.uk or call 01202 311993 to find out more, or find them at Pier Approach, West Beach, Bournemouth.