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Newport Aquarium
39°05′40″N 84°29′51″W / 39.0943725°N 84.4975877°W / 39.0943725; -84.4975877
Date opened	May 1, 1999
Location	Newport, Kentucky, U.S.
No. of animals	20,000
No. of species	90+
Total volume of tanks	1,000,000 US gal (3,800,000 L)
Memberships	AZA
Major exhibits	12
Owner	Herschend Family Entertainment
Public transit access	TANK
Website	www.newportaquarium.com

The Newport Aquarium is a public aquarium located in Newport, Kentucky.

Overview

The Newport Aquarium located within the Newport on the Levee shopping mall is owned by Herschend Family Entertainment. Newport Aquarium is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

The Aquarium has 70 exhibits, 14 galleries, and consists of 1,000,000 US gal (3,800,000 L) of water, including five acrylic tunnels totaling over 200 ft (61 metres) in length. It is the first aquarium to successfully breed shark rays. It also has a collection of alligators, including albino alligators.

Shark Ray breeding program

The breeding program was founded in 2007. Soon after, the shark ray breeding program became noted as one of the pioneering efforts in the area, resulting in the successful reproduction of two shark rays. The breeding process is considered challenging due to the species' aggressive mating behavior, which has previously led to the death of a female shark ray. As of now, the aquarium displays four adult shark rays.

Outreach programs

Mobile Shark Cart is a mobile cart that is taken offsite to raise awareness of shark conservation.

The WAVE program promotes the importance of ocean conservation, leadership, and STEM to youth. Individuals can go behind the scenes with a staff member to see how the aquarium works and learn about the conservation programs and species at the aquarium.

Seasonal events

Mermaid's Cove is an interactive event in which guests see and talk to performers dressed as mermaids about ocean conservation in the Shark Ray Bay Theater and Coral Reef tank. This event is normally scheduled during September.

A performer dressed as Scuba Santa appears between the end of November through January 1 each year, excluding Christmas Day. He can be seen in the shark tank with his elves.

Albino alligators

The Newport Aquarium is home to two albino alligators. Snowball, a male, is eight feet long and weighs nearly 175 pounds. Snowflake, a female, is six feet long and weighs nearly 95 pounds. There are fewer than 100 albino alligators known in the world today.

Gallery

• Shark tank
• Petting station
• Penguins
• Honeycomb whiptail ray
• Underwater tunnel

References

1. "The making of an aquarium". enquirer.com. The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved December 26, 2006.
2. "Currently Accredited Zoos and Aquariums". aza.org. AZA. Retrieved February 13, 2011.
3. "Our Businesses". www.hfecorp.com. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
4. "Newport Aquarium". Retrieved December 26, 2006.
5. ^ "Aww: Newport Aquarium has shark ray pups". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
6. "shark ray breedng". Bing. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
7. "Mating injury kills Kentucky aquarium's shark ray". USA Today. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
8. Charlson, Christine (September 17, 2016). "Can't get to Newport? The aquarium will now bring its sharks to you". WCPO. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
9. "About Us". Aquarium Works. July 17, 2012. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
10. Staff, WLWT Digital (September 19, 2018). "Mermaids swim their way back to Newport Aquarium". WLWT. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
11. "Scuba Santa back at Newport Aquarium". WLWT. November 17, 2012. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
12. Zummo, Maija. "Newport Aquarium's Rare White Alligators, Snowball and Snowflake, Got a New Home for the Holidays". Cincinnati CityBeat. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
13. "Albino alligators return to Newport Aquarium". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved November 2, 2018.

External links

• Shark Ray Presentation

v t e Zoos of Kentucky
Zoos	Ararat Ridge Zoo Kentucky Down Under Kentucky Reptile Zoo Louisville Zoo Salato Wildlife Center
Aquariums	Newport Aquarium
Former zoos	Senning's Park
Kentucky portal

• Aquaria in Kentucky
• Buildings and structures in Campbell County, Kentucky
• Tourist attractions in Campbell County, Kentucky
• Newport, Kentucky
• Herschend Family Entertainment
• 1999 establishments in Kentucky
• Zoos established in 1999