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Into a safe world of sharks

Dubai - Discovery Channel's Shark Week exhibit opens at the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo in Dubai Mall

Here's one 'safe' way people can interact with sharks: Discovery Channel's Shark Week exhibit opened at the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo in Dubai Mall on Thursday to give a glimpse into the fascinating world of sharks through a hybrid of marine biology and digital technology.
Entrance to the exhibit is an interactive shark cage featuring scenes of great white sharks circling a cage of divers. On top of the digital cage is the hull of a research ship protruding from the wall of the aquarium.
Visitors will then find themselves at the centre of the shark dive, a 20-metre demi-tunnel aquarium, with great whites swimming around them as well as a number of other shark species including Sandbar Whalers, Blacktip Reef Sharks, Bonnethead Sharks and Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks. Joining the sharks are Devil Rays, a close relative of the Manta Ray with the eye-catching horns on its head, and other marine species.
There is no extra charge for visiting the Shark Week exhibit as it is included in the standard fee to enter the Dubai Aquarium.
"When you come here, you will not just see sharks," Paul Hamilton, general manager and curator of Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, told Khaleej Times. "You will learn more about sharks and you will have you a greater understanding about the animal and, hopefully, help change the way you think about sharks."
Hamilton said that this was made possible by combining actual marine life with computer-generated images (CGI) of sharks.
"The innovative technology allows guests to 'interact' with the sharks by choosing their favourite shark species to swim on the LED background, bringing the heroes of Discovery Channel's 'Shark Week' to life, whilst simultaneously learning about their biology through the information panels being displayed, Hamilton explained.
"But they also have to stay alert as from time-to-time the on-screen sharks have a surprise in store for unsuspecting visitors (like the breaking of the digital glass)," he quipped.
On a serious note, Hamilton added: "We're passionate about educating the public on these incredible and often misunderstood creatures. The 'Discovery Channel Shark Week' exhibit invites visitors into the incredible world of sharks in a truly innovative way that both educates and entertains."
To complement the launch of the Shark Week exhibit, Discovery Consumer Products and Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo have also joined forces to produce a documentary that will be shown from August 28 on OSN detailing the aquarium's and the region's shark conservation projects.
Shark expert Joe Romero said around 70 to 100 millions sharks worldwide die every year because of humans and this alarming trend could soon wipe out the marine species. Marine conservationists also noted that eight per cent of shark fins sent to Hong Kong come from the Arabian Sea.
But Hamilton is optimistic that with the Shark Week exhibit, they can spread the message of marine conservation on a global scale.
angel@khaleejtimes.com