New Oman Aquarium to open in 2018

Energy Wednesday 25/January/2017 22:00 PM
By: Times News Service
New Oman Aquarium to open in 2018

Muscat: Thirty-thousand marine animals – from small shrimps to large sharks – will find a home in the new Oman Aquarium in Palm Mall, Seeb, which is set to open in the first quarter of 2018.
The 8,000 square metre aquarium will have 55 exhibit tanks.
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“The ocean tank will have 1.7million litres of sea water and will be stocked with fish and sharks from the coasts of Oman. There will be a demi-tunnel running through a part of the main tank, and a large acrylic viewing panel in the main gallery. The acrylic will be 70cm thick. We expect to have 20,000 marine animals in this tank alone,” said Adrian Tolliday, CEO of Tolliday Group International Ltd (TGI), a leisure and entertainment company from the UK that has been appointed to provide consultancy, supervision and specialised management and operational services by Al Jarwani Group, through Tamani Entertainment L.L.C.
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“Most of the stock will be collected locally, in keeping with the theme of ‘Oman’. We will have a large team of experts offering 5 star quality care for our animals. Good animal husbandry practices are essential. In fact, the food that we will give our animals will be sourced from the same suppliers that supply to top hotels and restaurants.
“The aquarium is going to be the Jewel of Oman, as the theme is based on journeys of the great sea farer – Ahmed Ibn Majid. The theme will consistently revolve around Oman, with a majority of the exhibits showcasing the local marine life. We will have a number of fresh water exhibits from Asia, and some exhibits from Africa, too,” the CEO said.
“Our goal is to educate and raise awareness, but to do it in a fun way. We want our guests to really enjoy their visit and leave with an even greater love of the environment and a feeling of empowerment that they can take some positive action for conservation,” the CEO said.
Adrian added, “We will have an education suite, and will develop educational programmes for the children that will be curriculum-based, relevant to their studies, engaging and fun. We aim to work closely with schools to develop these programmes long before
we open.”
The TGI has worked closely with the Al Jarwani Group to develop the aquarium concept design and story-line, and are now on-site to supervise the development of the project and put in place the team needed to run it.
Al Jarwani Group Chairman, Mahmoud Al Jarwani, said, “We are creating a mall that has international appeal and offers our visitors a number of exciting experiences in shopping, family entertainment and leisure. The aquarium is a key attraction in the mall and will deliver a world-class education and conservation programme. It will be an exciting attraction for our visitors. We chose the TGI to ensure that we can achieve this”. “We are very proud to be involved in this project, having developed the original concept and storyline.
“We are committed to deliver this unique experience and ensure that everyone who visits us has a fantastic time. Oman has some of the most amazing marine life in the world. Our aim is to ensure that everyone who passes through our aquarium leaves knowing more about the underwater world than when they came in. It will enhance visitors’ awareness and ignite their passion to look after the environment for generations to come,” he summed up.