Creating an Entire Ocean by the Ocean

I have a very uneasy relationship with the concept of zoos and aquariums.

On one hand, it feels wrong to have animals in captivity and away from their natural habitats to charge customers and make a profit. There are certain animals still in captivity who need significantly more space than what is being offered to them (killer whales and penguins being the ultimate examples).

On the other hand, it’s a good way to educate children and adults about the beauty, variety, and fragility of mother nature. In addition, it’s sometimes the only way you would ever be able to see certain fascinating creatures, plants, and entire environments as the world might be smaller and more accessible, but remains too expensive to truly travel without the painful financial effects. Maybe there are zoos that can be considered a net-positive in the grand scheme of things. To be honest however, it has to be a truly special place to earn such a reputation in a modern age where zoos are being frowned upon.

How about a six-acre, ever-growing, fully accredited, non-profit aquarium with over 7,000 plants and animals? The Florida Aquarium is one of the top attractions in all of Tampa Bay, and easily one of the most important locales in the Sunshine State thanks to its strong emphasis on education, conservation, and coral reef restoration. And its still growing, improving, and constantly reaching out to educate the next generation of Floridians.

Florida Aquarium is a spacious maze of discoveries, displays, and incredible naturalistic symmetry which allows for multiple species of fish, birds, and other animals to peacefully co-exist next to each other without it appearing restricting in any sort of way.

One space in particular is this winding trail with multiple giant fish tanks that starts slightly below ground so it gives the fishes more space while also having enough above-surface space to allow for people to see how the birds roam from tank to tank to swim, interact among themselves, and relax. You can easily spend up to an hour being immersed in this wetlands exhibit, and it helps that there are knowledgeable staff available to help and sometimes even do some presentations.

The highlight of the aquarium however in my opinion is definitely the massive 100,000 gallon coral reef tank that features a fascinating and diverse array of sea animals that can be seen from a wide variety of angles and vantage points, with one section in particular so relaxing to a point in which I saw people just hanging out for at least half in hour on the same space. I know this because I ended up doing the same thing.

It is hard to describe in detail why this place is so good, because I don’t want to spend an article just listing animals and displays. I think its better that you go in with an open mind and a sense for discovery and a willingness to watch the classes and presentations to learn more about the natural world surrounding us all.

It is especially important for all Floridians to learn and appreciate the delicate but beautiful environments that makes the Sunshine State such a unique place to live in. With all the springs (most freshwater springs in the country), lakes (second-most in the country), rivers, coral reefs (second-most in the U.S.), wetlands, tropical climate, and hundreds of miles of beaches (fun fact, we have a longer coastline than California), we are more embedded with nature when compared to other states, especially those in the Midwest where the climate and layout don’t invite as many animals or plants to grow and roam. To keep it simple, the Florida Aquarium covers every journey of water and what animals it encounters, starting from the springs and then moving through the rivers and wetlands before finding its way to the oceans surrounding us.

Florida Aquarium just isn’t open long enough, especially if you travel with people that sometimes struggles to wake up in time (*slowly raises hand*). But if you can manage to get there early enough to be able to see it all, then it has my strongest recommendation. It’s a wonderful work of zoology and conservation that is supported by an excellent staff, great attention to detail, nice variety of animals and presentations, and even a good quick-service restaurant and bar options while taking a break between periods of exploration. This place is a prime example of an aquarium/zoo setup that is properly done with education and the health of animals in mind.

P.S. Why didn’t anyone warn me about how dead the Tampa Riverwalk can be in the daytime?