The Aquarium of the Pacific is ringing in the holiday season with Christmas trees, a new sandbar shark, penguins and even a diving Santa as part of Aquarium Holidays.
The holiday season at the Aquarium kicks off on Saturday, Dec. 4 and runs through Dec. 23.
The giant tree in the Great Hall welcomes the public, but it’s the Santa Diver who steals the show as it scuba dives in the Honda Blue Cavern and feeds the fish.
Santa Diver, in full Santa regalia, is part of the Aquarium’s Holiday Treats for the Animals event on Saturday, Dec. 4 and Sunday, Dec. 5 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
On Wednesday, Dec. 1, visiting children made a beeline to the diving Santa as he waved amongst the giant sea bass and California yellowtails.
According to a statement from the Aquarium, the weekend event will also feature Hanukkah storytelling, an elf magician show and live music.
The weekend event will kick off Aquarium Holidays and is included with general admission, which requires advance reservations and can be made online.
On weekends, Santa himself will be available for photo opportunities through Dec. 19. Advanced reservations are required.
The Aquarium is also celebrating the debut of a sandbar shark in its large Shark Lagoon.
“It came from another aquarium that is part of our Association of Zoos and Aquariums and she is 1 year and a half old, so she’s still juvenile,” said Rachel Munson, aquarist at the Aquarium of the Pacific.
According to Munson sandbars don’t reach maturity until 7 to 10 years old.
The sandbar shark is currently about three and a half feet long, Munson said. The maximum size for sandbars is anywhere between six and eight feet. They can weigh 100 to 200 pounds, according to the Aquarium.
The sandbar shark has been classified as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservations of Nature (IUCN), according to a statement from the Aquarium.
“The sandbar shark faces challenges due to human impacts from overfishing to coastal development,” the statement said.
On Wednesday morning, Munson fed the new shark early holiday treats such as squid, mackerel and mahi-mahi as onlookers watched from afar among the decorated trees.
Also ready for the holidays is the June Keyes Penguin Habitat, where 4-year-old Magellanic penguin, Gatz, resides.
To visit the decorated exhibits, holiday festival and new sandbar shark click here to make a reservation and purchase tickets.
