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| © SeaWorld San Antonio |
SeaWorld San Antonio has marked their 5th consecutive year of park expansions with today's grand opening of Turtle Reef. The new themed area not only features a unique way to view endangered and rescued sea turtles, but also adds two new thrilling rides for families to enjoy.
A major initiative behind the expansion is to help educate guests on the human impact on oceans. “Ocean pollution, oil spills and habitat degradation are some of the
biggest challenges facing sea turtles, and Turtle Reef provides an
immersive opportunity for guests to learn how they can help the
species,” said SeaWorld and Aquatica San Antonio park president Carl
Lum. “We are excited to showcase a species that has never been featured
before at SeaWorld San Antonio, while educating guests about our mission
to protect animals and habitats worldwide.”
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| © SeaWorld San Antonio |
The Turtle Reef exhibit features a 126,000 gallon coral reef-themed biodynamic environment that is home to multiple species, like the friendly sea turtle seen above. It is one of many "rescued and non-releasable sea turtles in SeaWorld’s world-class care, including
endangered green sea turtles, and Big Mama, a 250-pound loggerhead sea
turtle rescued offshore in the Gulf of Mexico after sustaining
significant injuries to her front and back flippers." Guests are able to visit with the turtles via a giant viewing window at the base of the exhibit.
The entire area is "designed as a natural biofiltration system to build a near natural,
environmentally based recirculating filtration system that attracts
wildlife and reduces water and energy consumption in the park, enabling
the park to further its eco-friendly mission." Specifically in Turtle Reef, seawater is filtered through a fabricated salt marsh
grass wetland, similar to how water is filtered in the environment, and
returned to the habitat.
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| © SeaWorld San Antonio |
Two new family rides have also made their debut as a part of the Turtle Reef themed section. Above is the
Sea Swinger, a high swinging pendulum ride. Sixteen riders are seated at the base of the pendulum as it begins to spin and swing high into the sky. The passengers' feet dangle below them as they are offered aerial views of the park below them.
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| © SeaWorld San Antonio |
The area's second new ride is named
Riptide Rescue, seen above. Themed around a fast race to rescue sea turtles in need, riders are seated in individual Sea Rescue boats. The boats lift and spin on large arms, giving a maximum of 24 riders per cycle a feeling of twirling and diving through the ocean.
The new area will also benefit the University of Texas Marine Science Institute’s Amos Rehabilitation Keep program as five percent of all sales of turtle related merchandise will be funded directly to the organization. The non-profit's main mission is to rescue and rehabilitate sick and injured sea turtles, birds and tortoises found along the South Texas coast.
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