Latest news with #SeaWorldAbuDhabi
Khaleej Times
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Watch: I walked underwater with sharks at SeaWorld Abu Dhabi; here's how it went
Ever thought of walking underwater while locking eyes with a shark, but with zero fear of being attacked, bitten or eaten alive? That's how a walk down SeaWorld Abu Dhabi's vast Endless Ocean aquarium feels like. SeaVenture — a gravity-defying stroll brings visitors eye to eye with scalloped hammerheads, black tip reef sharks, manta rays, and more colourful fishes. Outfitted in wetsuits and head-enclosed oxygen helmets, we climbed down the ladder into the cold, clear water. A professional diver gave us hand signals and gently guided our descent to the aquarium floor. Around us, 25 million litres of saltwater pulsed with marine life. Schools of fish swirled in perfect synchrony like a shimmering curtain. Massive rays glided above like living spacecraft. Then came the hammerheads, eerie and elegant, their T-shaped heads slicing through the depths. Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels. Occasionally I reached out, half expecting to brush against a fin. But nothing came close enough to touch. 'That is because they are so used to people being around,' explained Carlos Rodriguez, Deputy General Manager of SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, after the tour. 'It is like people walking around the mall, they are so used to seeing other people around, they wouldn't stop to see or touch anyone.' At one point, Louis, the aquarium's beloved giant manta ray, passed right in front of us with his entourage of smaller fish trailing like a royal procession. There was a profound stillness under the surface — only the hiss of oxygen and the silent whoosh of tails. It didn't feel like we were intruding; it felt like we were welcome. The SeaVenture underwater walk is part of a wider philosophy featured in the park's 'One Ocean' realm. 'One Ocean is at the centre of what we do, this is the heart of SeaWorld Abu Dhabi,' Rodriguez explained. 'And from here, our guests can choose their journey. Where do they go next? Where do they explore next? Whether it's Endless Ocean with our incredible aquarium, which is just breathtaking, 24-meter depth aquarium... Rocky Point with our California sea lions... or into the polar oceans which divides further into Antarctica and the Arctic.' Beyond the entertainment, the park is home to a working marine hospital and rehabilitation centre. 'Beyond the railing is our hospital, our animal care centre that we call the heartbeat of our park,' Rodriguez said. Jennifer Shaffer, Senior Zoological Education Manager, led a group of reporters through the animal care facilities. 'There is nothing behind the curtain. You get to see everything,' she said, as we reached the glass see-through walls of the hospital's clinics. 'Some of the surgeries carried here are not the most pretty... but it's important that the guests see that and learn from it.' Each habitat in the indoor facility is fitted with specialised UVA and UVB lights to mimic natural conditions. 'The specialised lighting also changes seasonally,' Shaffer said. 'That is to simulate what happens in Antarctica with the changing of the seasons... it's vitally important.' In the penguin habitat, where temperatures are kept at one degree celsius, fresh snow is produced daily. 'We produce fresh snow every single day for them,' said Shaffer. 'Our penguins just had a beautiful breeding season... they hatched 19 eggs.' She explained that penguins are not waterproof at birth, and staff sometimes incubate discarded eggs. 'We put it in the brooder room and keep him nice and warm until he can return to the brookery,' she said. The care routines also extend to rescued animals, brought in with help from local partners including the Environment Agency, Abu Dhabi. 'We have about 100 sea turtles right now that are hopefully getting ready for release very soon,' Shaffer said. 'One is missing their flipper due to entanglement in fishing line... we've had barnacles or other things that cover the animal's body, which prohibits them from swimming or breathing.' SeaWorld Abu Dhabi's animal hospital includes a surgical suite and radiology room, allowing staff to treat animals without the stress of transporting them. 'Let's bring the CT machine to the animals instead of the animals to the CT machine,' said Shaffer. 'We can actually do full body scans of all of our animals at any time... probably one of the largest animals that we've had in here is our Atlantic bald-nosed dolphins.' Animals are trained to participate in medical checks through a process called desensitisation. 'With our animals we train them, and we call it desensitising behaviours,' she explained. 'It's never a shock, it's always just kind of commonplace and then they go about their day.' 'For guests, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi may look like a theme park,' Rodriguez concluded. 'But we are proud to be an Association of Zoos and Aquariums accredited facility. We've got Global Humane accreditation... so many things to be proud of at this park on the basis of how we take care of our animals.'
Zawya
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Zawya
SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, introduces new 'SeaSub' experience
SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, the World's Largest Indoor Marine Life Theme Park, announced the launch of the all-new submersible experience 'SeaSub', where guests can explore the region's largest multi-species marine life aquarium and learn more about marine life from a different perspective. The new submersible is the world's first classed submersible designed, built and certified for an aquarium setting. It can accommodate four guests in addition to SeaWorld Abu Dhabi's trained pilots. Guests will embark on a 30-minute tour that reaches depths of more than 20 meters to view the Marine Life Theme Park's spectacular, colourful and abundant marine life such as sharks, rays and schooling fish. This experience is the latest in the line of SeaWorld Abu Dhabi's continued efforts to provide one-of-a-kind immersive and educational marine life experiences for its guests including the popular SeaVenture, SeaDive and unforgettable encounters with penguins, walruses and more. Rob Yordi, General Curator at SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, said, 'Our goal is to make SeaWorld Abu Dhabi a unique and exciting destination. We strive to balance the elements of education, conservation and entertainment all in one place and offer our guests one-of-a-kind experiences that resonate with them for a lifetime. We are delighted to add the SeaSub experience to our repertoire for our inquisitive guests and hope it leads to more unforgettable memories for families.' The Marine Life Theme Park has also recently launched two new thrilling SeaWorld Encounters – 'Discover Scuba Diving' and 'Kayak on the Tropical Lagoon'. In 'Discover Scuba Diving' guests can scuba dive without the need for a diving certificate and enjoy mesmerizing views of vibrant marine life. In 'Kayak on the Tropical Lagoon' guests are invited to explore the colourful Tropical Ocean realm, paddling through the dolphin habitat and learning about the fascinating marine animals from SeaWorld Abu Dhabi's Zoological team while witnessing natural behaviours and viewing the vibrant aviary and flamingo habitat. SeaWorld Abu Dhabi is committed to providing guests with the best educational marine life experiences. With a myriad of adventures, guests can continue to immerse themselves in the vibrant world of marine life while enriching their knowledge about the wonders of our ocean.
Al Bawaba
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Bawaba
Get closer than ever: SeaWorld® Yas Island, Abu Dhabi introduces all-new SeaSub experience
SeaWorld® Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, the World's Largest Indoor Marine Life Theme Park, has an all-new one-of-a-kind experience in store for its guests, the chance to take the plunge inside the newly launched submersible experience 'SeaSub' where guests can explore the region's largest multi-species marine life aquarium and learn more about marine life from a different perspective. The new submersible is the world's first classed submersible designed, built and certified for an aquarium setting. It can accommodate four guests in addition to SeaWorld Abu Dhabi's trained pilots. Guests will embark on a wondrous 30-minute tour that reaches depths of more than 20 meters to view the Marine Life Theme Park's spectacular, colorful and abundant marine life such as sharks, rays and schooling fish. This experience is the latest in the line of SeaWorld Abu Dhabi's continued efforts to provide one-of-a-kind immersive and educational marine life experiences for its guests including the popular SeaVenture, SeaDive and unforgettable encounters with penguins, walruses and more. Rob Yordi, General Curator at SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, said: 'Our goal is to make SeaWorld Abu Dhabi a unique and exciting destination. We strive to balance the elements of education, conservation and entertainment all in one place and offer our guests one-of-a-kind experiences that resonate with them for a lifetime. We are delighted to add the SeaSub experience to our repertoire for our inquisitive guests and hope it leads to more unforgettable memories for families.' The Marine Life Theme Park has also recently launched two new thrilling SeaWorld Encounters – 'Discover Scuba Diving' and 'Kayak on the Tropical Lagoon'. In 'Discover Scuba Diving' guests can scuba dive without the need for a diving certificate and enjoy mesmerizing views of vibrant marine life. In 'Kayak on the Tropical Lagoon' guests are invited to explore the colorful Tropical Ocean realm, paddling through the dolphin habitat and learning about the fascinating marine animals from SeaWorld Abu Dhabi's Zoological team while witnessing natural behaviors and viewing the vibrant aviary and flamingo habitat. SeaWorld Abu Dhabi is committed to providing guests with the best educational marine life experiences. With a myriad of adventures, guests can continue to immerse themselves in the vibrant world of marine life while enriching their knowledge about the wonders of our ocean. Due to high demand and limited availability, guests are advised to book ahead to secure their spot. For more information and to book your adventure, please visit
Al Bawaba
09-04-2025
- General
- Al Bawaba
SeaWorld® Yas Island, Abu Dhabi and the Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center Awarded Prestigious AMMPA Accreditation
SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, the world's largest indoor Marine Life Theme Park, along with the Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center, the region's largest dedicated marine research, rescue, rehabilitation, and return facility, have become the first facilities in the MENA region to receive accreditation from the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks & Aquariums (AMMPA), joining its sister SeaWorld parks in the US. This accreditation places SeaWorld Abu Dhabi among a distinguished group of institutions that meet and exceed the world's most rigorous standards in animal welfare, veterinary care, habitat quality, training and conservation. AMMPA is a global body dedicated to the highest standards of care for marine mammals in parks, aquariums and zoos. AMMPA-accredited facilities play a vital role in marine animal rescue, research, and public education, ensuring the well-being of animals such as sea lions, dolphins and sea turtles. Rob Yordi, Zoological Vice President and General Curator at SeaWorld Abu Dhabi and Yas SeaWorld Research and Rescue Center, said: 'We are incredibly proud to receive accreditation from the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums, a testament to our unwavering commitment to the highest standards of animal care, conservation and education. This milestone reflects the dedication of our entire team to providing a world-class environment for marine life while inspiring our guests to protect our ocean. We remain committed to advancing marine conservation efforts and ensuring the well-being of the incredible animals in our care.' Widely recognized as the most comprehensive and stringent in the world for marine mammal care, AMMPA accredited facilities need to prove various aspects of animal welfare, including optimal veterinary care, positive reinforcement training and environmental enrichment to support well-being. Facilities must also maintain high water quality and habitat conditions, ensure responsible breeding and population management, and uphold safe and humane transportation practices. Additionally, accredited institutions contribute to scientific research and conservation efforts while providing educational programs that promote public awareness of marine conservation. Adding to this recognition, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi and the Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center are also the region's first facilities to be certified by Global Humane, the world's largest certifier of animal welfare and the region's third facilities to earn the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) accreditation. Representing the next generation of zoological care. This highlights their commitment to upholding the highest standards in marine animal care and conservation. For more information on SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi and the Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center, please visit the website at
Al Bawaba
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Bawaba
SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi Announces New SeaBloom Celebration with Exclusive In-Park Experiences
SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, the world's largest indoor Marine Life Theme Park, welcomes this year's vibrant spring season with its first-ever SeaBloom Celebration. Running until May 11. Guests can enjoy marine life-themed sand art sculptures, exciting educational challenges and exclusive meet and greets, making for an unforgettable experience. As guests step into the marine life theme park's Abu Dhabi Ocean, they'll be greeted by stunning sand art sculptures illustrating the journey of a sea turtle. As guests continue to explore, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi's beloved live characters Sakina, the dugong, and Shivers, the polar bear, will be dressed in their Spring best for the occasion bringing excitement to young guests with interactive meet-and-greet experiences. For the young and curious, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi presents the SeaBloom Curiosities Booklet. A journey through eight immersive realms where they discover hidden animal secrets and try to collect all eight colorful stickers along the way. Once completed, they'll earn a special surprise from Sakina herself. The booklet is available for AED 35, with exclusive discounts for Yas Annual Passholders. Alongside the excitement and entertainment, guests are invited to explore SeaWorld Abu Dhabi's animals in bloom. At Tropical Ocean, the marine life theme park's first flamingo chick is gradually developing its signature rosy hue. In the Antarctica realm, guests can witness the adorable newly hatched penguin chicks. Within Polar Ocean, guests can also make their way to the Arctic realm and witness two species of puffins in their nesting season. Guests can experience the wonder of SeaWorld Abu Dhabi's SeaBloom Celebration daily during park hours, from 10:00am to 6:00pm, until May 11. For more information, visit
