Sea Life

Sea Life is a chain of commercial sea life-themed aquarium attractions. As of April 2017 there are 53 Sea Life attractions (including standalone Sea Life centres, mini Sea Life features within resort theme parks, and Legoland submarine rides) around the world. The chain is owned by the British company, Merlin Entertainments.

Sea Life logo, Helsinki

History

Some of the aquariums now called Sea Life predate this rebrand and existed under different designations prior to their consolidation. The original named attraction was Sea Life Centre in Oban, Scotland, which opened in 1979. By 1992, nine other Sea Life units were open.[1]

Locations

Asia

Asia centres are located at:

Sea Life Nagoya and Sea Life Malaysia are attached to Legoland.

In November 2015, Merlin Entertainments announced that over the next 10 years it would invest £50 million in India, some of which will be used to open Sea Life centres.[4] In January 2017, Merlin Entertainments Indian subsidiary stated that it was in discussion with real estate firms to open Sea Life centres in multiple cities in India.[5]

Germany

Sea Life centre in Königswinter, Germany

Centres are located in Germany in: Berlin, Cuxhaven, Königswinter, Konstanz, Munich, Nuremberg, Speyer, Timmendorfer Strand and Hanover. The largest Sea Life Centre of Germany is in the Central park in Oberhausen. This was the home of Paul, the psychic octopus who correctly predicted the German national football team's results at the world cup of 2010,[6] until his death in October 2010.

United Kingdom

Blackpool
Great Yarmouth
Hunstanton
Loch Lomond
Manchester
Scarborough
Weymouth
Locations of Sea Life centres in the United Kingdom (exluding those at resort theme parks)
National Sea Life Centre in Birmingham
Scarborough Sea Life centre

Sea Life Centres at resort theme parks:

Former sites:

Others

Other European Sea Life centres are in: Bray, Ireland; Blankenberge, Belgium; Helsinki, Finland; Val d'Europe, Paris, France; Porto, Portugal; The Hague, Netherlands, Istanbul, Turkey and in Benalmádena, Spain

Related 'theme-park' resorts are at Billund, Denmark; Legoland Atlantis by Sea Life, Germany; Gardaland Sea Life, Italy and Jesolo Sea Life.

United States

American centres are located in:

Oceania

Centres are located in Australia in:

New Zealand has Kelly Tarlton's Sea Life Aquarium, Auckland.[9]

Controversies

Sea Life centres have been criticised over animal welfare, with the Marine Conservation Society calling a 30% mortality rate "disturbing."[10] The charity Freedom for Animals has criticised Sea Life over their conservation claims and also for the presence of Beluga whales at attractions.[11][12]

References

  1. "Interview: Merlin and the money men". Leisuremanagement.co.uk. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  2. "Locations". Merlin Entertainments. Archived from the original on 15 January 2013. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
  3. "Merlin Entertainments announces world's first standalone Peppa Pig Resort in Sichuan, China". Merlinentertainments.biz. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  4. "Madame Tussauds' wax museum to open in Delhi". Thehindu.com. 13 November 2015. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  5. Agarwal, Sapna (17 January 2017). "After Madame Tussauds, Merlin set to bring Legoland, Sea Life to India". Livemint.com/. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
  6. "German 'psychic' octopus predicts victory for Spain". BBC News. 7 July 2010. Retrieved 7 July 2010.
  7. "Scottish Sea Life Sanctuary to close at the end of October". BBC News. 6 September 2018.
  8. "Merlin Entertainments Group Announces $10 Million Sydney Aquarium Refurbishment". ausleisure.com.au. Australian Leisure Management. 7 March 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
  9. Tasman-Jones, Jessica (17 March 2012). "Kelly Tarlton's set for $5.5m upgrade". stuff.co.nz. Fairfax New Zealand Limited. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
  10. "Sea Life centre sees a third of animals die in a year". Bbc.co.uk. 8 March 2018. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  11. "Conservation claims of Sea Life centres don't stand up to scrutiny". Freedomforanimals.org.uk. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  12. "Jun Jun the beluga whale dies under the care of Merlin Entertainments". Freedomforanimals.org.uk. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
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