The shark exhibits at The Florida Aquarium are not just about displaying “big teeth and predators” but about telling stories: of food webs, deep water and shallow reef zones, human interactions with sharks, conservation issues, and local Florida ecosystems. For example, the Aquarium’s “Habitats” page highlights that visitors will encounter sand tiger sharks, sea turtles, rays, and reef fish as part of the “Coral Reef” habitat experience.
Public programmes emphasise shark ecology: their role as apex predators, their evolutionary adaptation (cartilaginous skeletons, sensory systems, teeth replacement) and their vulnerability (bycatch, shark finning, habitat loss). The 2023 article from FOX 13 quotes the Aquarium’s “resident shark expert” saying:
“Some of those sharks you may encounter are anything from our smallest of the hammerheads … up to bull sharks, black tips … if you’re really lucky … whale sharks …”
Thus the shark programme became central to the Aquarium’s mission: to inform, engage and inspire visitors about marine conservation, especially the sharks of Florida’s waters.
Sharks in Florida’s Waters: Linking Exhibit to Local Reality
One important dimension of The Florida Aquarium’s shark story is the link between exhibited species and the native shark fauna of Florida’s coastal, estuarine and bay-systems. Tampa Bay and surrounding waters are home to species such as bonnethead sharks, blacktip sharks, small hammerheads, bull sharks, spinner sharks and coastal nurse sharks. The Aquarium emphasises how the bay acts as nursery habitat, contributing to shark life-cycles.
By featuring species or analogues in its exhibits, the Aquarium helps bridge the gap between visitor viewing and real‐world conservation: Sharks are not remote oceanic creatures only—they inhabit Florida waters, face human threats, and matter in local ecosystems. This local relevance enhances the educational value of the shark displays. shutdown123