The Oceanographic is located within the complex of the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, in the middle of a spectacular architectural design. It has two levels, one at the surface and another one underground, where most of the aquariums are situated. The idea is to represent the planet’s marine ecosystems, through eight major ecosystems.

    We can start in the Mediterranean and its major star, the Posidonia oceanica beds and the always mysterious coralline. Wetlands are focused on a spectacular sphere where birds fly free. Warm and tropical seas of the planet are represented in different facilities where we can enjoy the coral atmosphere of the Caribbean or the Indo-Pacific, pass through a spectacular tunnel, visit the forests of kelp or be amazed at the giant crabs of the Sea of Japan.

    Polar ecosystems are one of the great attractions of the Oceanographic with some of its more spectacular species as belugas and walruses, or the always attractive penguins. Sea lions are the masters of the area dedicated to the islands, and we can enjoy the fauna of the Red Sea in the middle of a large auditorium.

    Finally, the ocean world is focused on the Atlantic, where a large tunnel would connect the waters of Bermuda to the Canary Islands, on a fascinating journey with an undisputed star: sharks.

SHARKS: THE MAJOR FIGURES

    One of the major figures of this kind of facilities is always sharks and, as we mentioned above, the Oceanographic dedicates its biggest tank to them. In it and through an impressive tunnel of 35m we can enjoy at a glance the disturbing presence of these animals and many others which are concentrated here. The dimly lit environment contributes to the sense of mystery of the place.

    The kings are the great bull sharks, which swim slowly, and use to be at the upper part of the tank. We also find gray sharks, nurse sharks, starry smooth hounds, angelfish, and a large variety of manta rays and eagle rays and guitar fish. Besides these large predators we can find a large amount of fish from the well known groupers to shoals of yellowtails.

    We highlight two rarities: a better known one and a more hidden and seldom one. In the first case we are talking about sunfish, with several specimens. The largest of them weighs several kilos. Its strange shape with flattened body and hardly any fin and its habit of come quite close to the transparent wall make them be one of the favourite animals to visitors, even more than sharks, as some surveys reveal.

    On the other side, if we are very attentive, we can discover the estrange sawfish (family Pristidae) on the bottom of the tank. It has an appendix saw-shaped and it is usually lying in the seabed.

    To make this great structure work, there is a very complex engineering system that the public do not see. It is some kind of big back room known as “technical zone”. The spectacular decoration that visitors see in the exhibition is changed to kilometres of pipes, cables, filters and varied machinery. It allows them to reproduce vital conditions for all the delicate inhabitants of the Oceanographic.

A TEAM OF MORE THAN 300 PROFESSIONALS

    To do so, a team of more than 300 professionals, from biologists to veterinarians, aquarists, divers, maintenance personnel and a large etcetera, make the miracle to allow us to enjoy this incredible park.

    The first problem to solve is the water supply. In this case, as Valencia is on the shores of the Mediterranean, water is directly pumped from the nearby beach “de la Malvarrosa”. Once in the park it is filtered and disinfected several times until it arrives to the different aquariums.

    The Oceanographic has also an emergency system to create seawater from freshwater, in case any contingency happened that prevented to pump water with enough quality.

    Other fundamental space is the one where injured, sick or new animals pass quarantine. In this point is important to say that a great part of the species on show is specimens born in captivity and that are exchanged between different aquariums in the world. Wild animals carry out all legal requirements related to protection and trade of species.

   Once we have water and fish, we have to feed them. In this case, the Oceanographic has a great kitchen, as if it was the best five stars hotel in the world. There, they prepare different endings and select the material.

   There are whole mackerel and squid for sharks, which are fed by hand to control their consumption; different types of fish and prawns for larger species; or different porridges, with fishes and vegetables crushed or tiny crustaceans. All this, with strict weight control of each dose and the frequency it is administered.

Text and photos: Juan Carlos García