Shark Reef Aquarium

Shark Reef Aquarium opened on June 20, 2000, as part of the Mandalay Bay resort, which was developed by Circus Circus Enterprises (now MGM Resorts International). The aquarium was designed by the architectural firm Lyons & Zaremba and the exhibit design firm Thinc Design, with the goal of creating an immersive journey through simulated shipwrecks, sunken temples, and jungle habitats. The main tank, called the Shipwreck Exhibit, holds 1.3 million gallons of seawater and features a moving walkway that carries visitors through a transparent acrylic tunnel, offering close views of sharks and rays swimming overhead.

The facility was built on the site of a former tropical rainforest-themed attraction and was initially operated in partnership with the Steve Wynn–era Mirage Resorts. In 2013, the aquarium underwent a significant renovation that added new exhibits, including a touch pool and a gallery dedicated to the endangered green sea turtle. The renovation also improved animal care facilities and expanded the behind-the-scenes viewing areas.

The aquarium's exhibits are organized into themed zones that mimic distinct ecosystems. The 'Shipwreck' exhibit is the centerpiece, housing sand tiger sharks, blacktip reef sharks, and whitetip reef sharks, along with giant groupers and rays. The 'Temple' exhibit recreates a Mayan ruin and contains piranhas, arapaima, and other Amazonian species. The 'Jungle' zone features a flooded forest with Asian small-clawed otters and a variety of freshwater fish. A notable addition is the 'Touch Pool,' where visitors can handle horseshoe crabs and small rays under staff supervision.

Shark Reef is also home to several rescued animals, including a loggerhead sea turtle named 'Squirt' and a green sea turtle named 'Maui,' both of which were rehabilitated after being found injured in the wild. The aquarium participates in the AZA's Species Survival Plan for sand tiger sharks and has successfully bred several species, including the zebra shark and the epaulette shark. In 2016, it became the first aquarium in North America to hatch a rare golden trevally.

Shark Reef Aquarium emphasizes conservation and public education through its partnership with the AZA and its participation in cooperative breeding programs. The facility supports field research on shark populations in the wild, including tagging studies in the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific. It also runs a 'Shark Reef Academy' program for school groups, offering hands-on lessons about marine biology, ocean conservation, and animal husbandry.

The aquarium is involved in rescue and rehabilitation efforts for sea turtles along the Pacific coast, working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and local wildlife agencies. It also promotes sustainable seafood choices through its 'Seafood Savvy' campaign, which educates visitors about the impacts of overfishing on shark populations. In 2020, Shark Reef launched a virtual learning series that reached thousands of students during the COVID-19 pandemic, expanding its educational reach beyond the Las Vegas Strip.

Beyond its public exhibits, Shark Reef houses a behind-the-scenes quarantine and breeding facility that is not open to general visitors but is used for research and animal husbandry. The aquarium's life-support systems recycle and filter the entire water volume every two hours, using a combination of sand filters, protein skimmers, and ultraviolet sterilizers. A little-known fact is that the aquarium's 'Shipwreck' tank was originally designed to be even larger, but the weight of the water required additional structural reinforcement of the Mandalay Bay building, leading to a scaled-down design.

Shark Reef is also one of the few aquariums in the world to display a rare 'golden' alligator, a color morph of the American alligator, in its 'Jungle' exhibit. The aquarium has a dedicated dive team that performs daily feeding and cleaning dives, and it offers a 'Dive with Sharks' program for certified divers, which has been operating since 2001. In 2018, the aquarium celebrated the hatching of its first zebra shark pup, a milestone for the species' captive breeding efforts.

AZA

Association of Zoos and Aquariums, a nonprofit organization that sets standards for animal care and conservation.

Sand tiger shark

A large coastal shark species known for its menacing appearance but generally docile behavior.

Species Survival Plan

A cooperative breeding program managed by the AZA to maintain genetically diverse populations of endangered species.