Lucky Guests at Atlantis, Paradise Island Chosen to Become "Aquarist of the Day"
PARADISE ISLAND, The Bahamas -- Hand-feeding sharks, rays and hundreds of tropical fish may not be everyone's cup of tea, but for the guests at Sun International's Atlantis, Paradise Island resort, there is tremendous interest in being chosen "Aquarist of the Day." Selected each day through a random drawing, the Aquarist of the Day becomes a full-fledged member of the resort's highly trained "Seakeepers" team of Marine experts, participating in every aspect of the feeding and care for some 50,000 living creatures. The centerpiece of the 2,300-room Atlantis is the world's largest marine habitat, second only to Mother Nature, a spectacular complex of exhibit lagoons and interactive attractions showcasing the wonders of the oceans.
"The Aquarist of the Day program is our way of giving our guests an additional 'blow away' vacation experience," said Michelle Liu, assistant director of husbandry at Atlantis and one of 60 water features department staff. "We hope that after participating in this fascinating program, the lucky winner will come away with not only a better understanding of the intricacies involved in running a highly complex aquarium operation but a lasting memory of a unique experience at Atlantis."
The Atlantis marine habitat, which encompasses the entire resort in a skillfully designed network of lagoons, pools, coral formations and underwater ruins, has been internationally recognized as not only an entirely unique resort attraction but as one of the most successful aquariums in the world, the only one, in fact, to successfully breed a number of shark and ray species.
It is home to over 200 species of marine life, including 500 venomous Indo-Pacific Lionfish, 1,000 piranhas, iridescent jellyfish, six-foot Moray eels, six species of giant grouper (one weighing in at 400 pounds on its way to becoming a 1,000-pounder) and 500 lobsters in specially-created environments. While some of the species happily living at the resort are from the exotic corners of the globe, the majority are caught offshore in the azure seas of The Bahamas from the resort's own custom-designed 45-foot collecting vessel. Eleven million gallons of salt and fresh water are circulated every two hours to keep the exhibit areas and swimming pools in top condition. Atlantis spends $50,000 a month just to feed its obviously contented population of denizens of the deep.
The Aquarist of the Day, jumping right in to the role of animal food technician and lab technician as well as "seakeeper," has a busy schedule. The day starts at 7:30 a.m. with a behind-the-scenes tour of the marine habitat facilities, including quarantine (fish hospital), food preparation, life support systems and the laboratory. Wearing a special "Seakeeper" T-shirt and reef walkers (to be taken home at the end of the day), the Aquarist helps prepare gourmet meals which include serving up a tasty combination of shrimp, squid, sardines and minnows. At the Water's Edge lagoon, the lucky guest gets right into the water to help hand-feed 150 Cowrays, Bonnet Head sharks and small fish. At the Predator Lagoon feeding, he or she walks along the coral reef with other staff to help feed stingrays, barracuda, sharks, groupers, sawfish and the new marine babies of Atlantis. The resort recorded the first-ever live births of Black-nosed and Caribbean Reef sharks in 1997.
Atlantis, Paradise Island accommodations include the incomparable, 1,201-room luxury Royal Towers, and the Coral and Beach Towers; 38 restaurants, bars and lounges; an entertainment center with a uniquely designed casino; an impressive collection of luxury boutiques and shops, and extensive meeting and convention facilities, including the largest ballroom in the Caribbean. The marine habitat includes The Dig, a maze of underwater corridors and passageways providing a journey through ancient Atlantis. Guests enjoy 11 swimming areas, including amazing water slides hidden in life-sized Mayan ruins and other gentler water rides, cascading waterfalls and a seemingly endless stretch of beach that has been called the most beautiful in the world.
The Atlantis Sports Center features a full-service spa, tennis, basketball, and volleyball courts, a four-lane lap pool and an 18-hole putting course. The 63-slip Marina at Atlantis accommodates luxury yachts up to 200 feet in length. For young guests, the Discovery Channel Camp at Atlantis is a revolutionary concept in educational, entertaining childrenís vacations in partnership with The Discovery Channel.
For further information about Atlantis, Paradise Island and other Sun International resorts, contact Sun International at 1415 E. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304; telephone 954-713-2500, or visit on-line at www.AtlantisResort.com. For reservations, call your travel agent or 800-ATLANTIS. Read more!
"The Aquarist of the Day program is our way of giving our guests an additional 'blow away' vacation experience," said Michelle Liu, assistant director of husbandry at Atlantis and one of 60 water features department staff. "We hope that after participating in this fascinating program, the lucky winner will come away with not only a better understanding of the intricacies involved in running a highly complex aquarium operation but a lasting memory of a unique experience at Atlantis."
The Atlantis marine habitat, which encompasses the entire resort in a skillfully designed network of lagoons, pools, coral formations and underwater ruins, has been internationally recognized as not only an entirely unique resort attraction but as one of the most successful aquariums in the world, the only one, in fact, to successfully breed a number of shark and ray species.
It is home to over 200 species of marine life, including 500 venomous Indo-Pacific Lionfish, 1,000 piranhas, iridescent jellyfish, six-foot Moray eels, six species of giant grouper (one weighing in at 400 pounds on its way to becoming a 1,000-pounder) and 500 lobsters in specially-created environments. While some of the species happily living at the resort are from the exotic corners of the globe, the majority are caught offshore in the azure seas of The Bahamas from the resort's own custom-designed 45-foot collecting vessel. Eleven million gallons of salt and fresh water are circulated every two hours to keep the exhibit areas and swimming pools in top condition. Atlantis spends $50,000 a month just to feed its obviously contented population of denizens of the deep.
The Aquarist of the Day, jumping right in to the role of animal food technician and lab technician as well as "seakeeper," has a busy schedule. The day starts at 7:30 a.m. with a behind-the-scenes tour of the marine habitat facilities, including quarantine (fish hospital), food preparation, life support systems and the laboratory. Wearing a special "Seakeeper" T-shirt and reef walkers (to be taken home at the end of the day), the Aquarist helps prepare gourmet meals which include serving up a tasty combination of shrimp, squid, sardines and minnows. At the Water's Edge lagoon, the lucky guest gets right into the water to help hand-feed 150 Cowrays, Bonnet Head sharks and small fish. At the Predator Lagoon feeding, he or she walks along the coral reef with other staff to help feed stingrays, barracuda, sharks, groupers, sawfish and the new marine babies of Atlantis. The resort recorded the first-ever live births of Black-nosed and Caribbean Reef sharks in 1997.
Atlantis, Paradise Island accommodations include the incomparable, 1,201-room luxury Royal Towers, and the Coral and Beach Towers; 38 restaurants, bars and lounges; an entertainment center with a uniquely designed casino; an impressive collection of luxury boutiques and shops, and extensive meeting and convention facilities, including the largest ballroom in the Caribbean. The marine habitat includes The Dig, a maze of underwater corridors and passageways providing a journey through ancient Atlantis. Guests enjoy 11 swimming areas, including amazing water slides hidden in life-sized Mayan ruins and other gentler water rides, cascading waterfalls and a seemingly endless stretch of beach that has been called the most beautiful in the world.
The Atlantis Sports Center features a full-service spa, tennis, basketball, and volleyball courts, a four-lane lap pool and an 18-hole putting course. The 63-slip Marina at Atlantis accommodates luxury yachts up to 200 feet in length. For young guests, the Discovery Channel Camp at Atlantis is a revolutionary concept in educational, entertaining childrenís vacations in partnership with The Discovery Channel.
For further information about Atlantis, Paradise Island and other Sun International resorts, contact Sun International at 1415 E. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304; telephone 954-713-2500, or visit on-line at www.AtlantisResort.com. For reservations, call your travel agent or 800-ATLANTIS. Read more!
