The Secret World Of
Sharks And Rays
Last Chance, Exhibit Closes April 30, 2013
This spring, explore Vancouver Aquarium’s galleries to uncover the amazing lifestyles of the not-so-famous sharks and their cousins – the skates, rays and ratfishes.
While the word “shark” likely brings to mind a very clear image – large, toothy, eating machines – there is no such thing as a “typical” shark. The 370 different living shark species and their cousins come in many shapes and sizes as a result of the incredible adaptations they have undergone in order to survive and thrive in a variety of aquatic environments.
Did you know some rays live only in freshwater, swimming among the flooded forests of the Amazon, or that many shark species are bottom-feeding, electro-sensing, crab crunching predators? Come in and discover which sharks are capable of virgin birth and see the variety of teeth shapes different sharks have to catch certain types of prey. Uncover these overlooked secrets and many more as you explore the Aquarium’s new exhibits, displays and shows for The Secret World of Sharks and Rays.
Learn about the sharks that call the waters of British Columbia home, from the very common Pacific spiny dogfish to the endangered basking shark and the rarely seen thresher shark, in our Pacific Canada Pavilion.
Explore the Tropic Zone and Amazon Gallery to spot a secretive shark called the tasseled wobbegong, a stealthy blue-spotted fantail ray with periscope eyes, and the freshwater stingray that sucks, literally – it sucks up snails to capture and eat them in its native home, Brazil’s Xingu River.
Plus, learn about the threats facing sharks and their cousins, from fishing bycatch to pollution, and what you can do to help protect them.
Don’t miss your chance to explore the mysterious world of these fascinating fishes – visit the Vancouver Aquarium today to experience The Secret World of Sharks and Rays.