Would you believe that among the glitz, glitter and neon of the Las Vegas Strip you can find one of the most outstanding marine aquariums in the entire country? In fact, Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay is the only North American aquarium that is specifically predator-based in focus and design. As you might expect, Shark Reef features sharks of all kinds but you’ll also see sawfish, giant rays, endangered green sea turtles, piranha, moon jellies and the rare golden crocodiles. In all, there are over 2,000 sea animals to experience in elaborate natural settings with stunning imitation coral reefs. The facility is especially well-suited for educational outings and the Shark Reef education team is very knowledgeable. Conservation is a central part of the Shark Reef mission and the 1.6 million gallons of seawater used by the facility is constantly recycled. Technologically speaking, Shark Reef is absolutely cutting-edge and staffed by marine biologists from all over the globe.

Rare Komodo Dragon Arrives at Shark Reef Aquarium

The Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay will welcome the Komodo Dragon on June 20th. Known as the most deadly of all lizards and having no known predators in the world, the Komodo Dragon lives on the Southeast islands of Indonesia and can weigh up to 200 pounds. Shark Reef is open daily from 10am until 11pm with the last admission at 10pm. Surprised that the facility stays open until 11pm? Hey, this is Vegas and (if you’re doing it right) you don’t even wake up until one in the afternoon!

This entry was posted by Michelle Sterling on Tuesday, May 13th, 2008 at 6:44 am and is filed under Beyond the Neon, Inside Las Vegas, The Strip, Just For Fun, General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.