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The Shark Experience Continues in the Lisbon Oceanário

As the capstone experience for the Professor Dan Abel’s Biology of Sharks class, students join Lisbon local Dr. João Correia for a behind the scenes tour of the Lisbon Oceanário, one of Europe’s largest oceanariums. They spend time with live sharks, get an above look at a 1.4 million gallon tank, and take a behind the scenes tour of the Aquario Vasco Da Gama.

After studying sharks all semester, Abel’s Biology of Sharks class visits the Lisbon Oceanário to see these amazing creatures in action.
Students are surrounded by fish in this 1.4 million gallon tank at the Lisbon Oceanário.
A view not seen by the general public. The students get to view the feeding of a ray, which Abel calls “pancake sharks.” In one gulp the food is gone and the ray is back to swimming around.
These Leatherback turtles are one of the centerpieces of the museum. They help the students put scale to these massive and mature turtles.
Professor Dan Abel’s students get a behinds the scenes tour of the Aquario Vasco Da Gama. There are what feels like millions of specimens stored, yet only a few get displayed at a time. Students get to check out the famous nurse shark fetus which has overdeveloped eyelids and eye sockets.
Dr. Joao Correia talks with students on the MV Explorer after their trip to Lisbon Oceanário and Aquario Vasco Da Gama. Dr. Correia, talks about transferring sharks from aquarium to aquarium and the pre-planning that takes place. Everything must be planed out to the smallest detail when moving live animals across Europe and flying the animals safety.
Topics
  • Education
  • Science

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