World’s largest oceanarium opens tomorrow

S.E.A. Aquarium

Photo: Marine Life Park, Resorts World Sentosa

SINGAPORE C The world’s largest oceanarium at Resorts World Santosa will be open to public tomorrow. The Marine Life Park, which houses more than 100,000 marine animals from over 800 different species, consists of two feature attractions C the Adventure Cove Waterpark and the S.E.A. Aquarium. Here’s a sneak peek at what the Park has to offer.

The Southeast Asia (S.E.A.) Aquarium forms the dry part of one’s experience at the Marine Life Park. Taking guests through 10 different journeys, the aquarium is divided into zones that features some 49 marine habitats, from Southeast Asia to the African subcontinent and beyond, akin to the routes taken by the seafarers of yesteryears.

The wet experience can be shared amongst family members, and for thrill-seekers looking for some cool adventure as they zip down the water slides here. Featuring Southeast Asia’s first hydro-magnetic coaster which uses the same technology for the roller coaster rides at the Universal Studios Singapore, guests are ushered up to the top for yet another splashing moment down the slides, via this automated hydro-magnetic coasters.

Adventure Cove Waterpark also features the Rainbow Reef which offers a place to snorkel right here in Singapore C with thousands of fishes in a man-made pool. Life jackets are required here and a round’s snorkel at the Rainbow Reef will take approximately 20 minutes. Other attractions here include the Adventure River, Duelling Racer, Pipeline Plunge, Tidal Twister, Riptide Rocket, Seahorse Hideaway, Splashworks, Big Bucket Treehouse, Whirlpool Washout, Spiral Washout and Bluwater Bay.

Countries within a seven-hour flight radius including Southeast Asia, Greater China and India are part of RWS’ key target markets, in line with its aim to promote the integrated resort as theleading family destination resort in Asia. “With the opening of Marine Life Park, Resorts World Sentosa will be the first integrated resort in the world with twin-mega attractions and a slew of other entertainment options for a destination family holiday that would take at least three days to complete. We will be extending our reach into other markets as we believe that we have now a truly unique destination resort, and we are targeting to attract 16 million for the integrated resort in 2013,” said Edward Goh, Senior VP of Group Sales & Marketing, RWS.

Education and conservation are also included in the waterpark’s offerings, with immersive programmes such as ray-feeding and shark encounters and interactions with the Indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins to be rolled out progressively.

Biswajit Guha, Director of Education & Conservation, Marine Life Park, Resorts World Sentosa said that customised learning for all ages have been included to spread the education and awareness on marine conservation. He added that the MLP has partnered the Sea Research Foundation’s Mystic Aquarium to develop curricula relevant to Singapore and Southeast Asia and will also be the exclusive manager of The JASON Project in Southeast Asia, an award-winning science programme developed by National Geographic Society.

On the issue of dolphins in captivity that has raised the concerns of many animal lovers and activists alike, a Marine Life Park spokesperson highlighted; “All our marine animals at the Marine Life Park receive round-the-clock veterinary care by our team of dedicated veterinarians. We have assembled a team of experts to support our efforts in various aspects pertaining to the care, well- being, education, research and conservation of marine life. The MLP has already developed the required veterinary and husbandry procedures and protocols required to house and maintain all our marine residents. The care and well-being of our marine life will take precedence over all else.”

Opening hours:

Monday to Sunday (10am - 6pm until December 7, 2012 due to a private event)

Monday to Sunday (10am - 7pm, from December 8, 2012 onwards)

Tickets are priced at:

One Day Pass: S$29 (Adult), S$20 (Child) and S$20 (Senior Citizens)

Annual Pass: S$88 (Adult), S$58 (Child) and S$58 (Senior Citizens)

For more information, visit: http://www.rwsentosa.com/.

Dolphin bound for Marine Life Park dies en route to Singapore
Posted: 22 November 2012 2119 hrs

	Click to enlarge Photos 1of 1 Photo of Wen Wen (Photo/RWS)

SINGAPORE: A male dolphin bound for Marine Life Park at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) has died on its flight to Singapore.

Wen Wen, which was estimated to be ten years old, died less than an hour before its plane landed in Singapore. The dolphin

was one of 11 on the three-hour long flight from the Philippines on Thursday. A Marine Life Park spokesperson said that there

were two marine mammal veterinarians and eight marine mammal specialists accompanying and monitoring the dolphins.

The dolphins were also given thorough medical examinations and were deemed healthy before the move.

Another 14 dolphins have already been transported earlier this week from Subic Bay, Philippines, where they were kept for training.

Animal welfare group Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) said that it was saddened by the loss and urged

RWS to rehabilitate and release the remaining dolphins back into Solomon Islands waters.

There have been several attempts to block the Indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins from being brought to Singapore.

- CNA/jc

FOR a mere $3,000 a night, you can wake up surrounded by manta rays, giant groupers and zebra sharks.That is the experience Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) will offer its guests through Ocean Suites

- 11 exclusive rooms found in its S.E.A. Aquarium. The duplex rooms, which will open later this year, will each feature a floor-to-ceiling acrylic panel in the bedroom. It looks into an Open Ocean habitat

that will contain 50,000 marine animals. RWS yesterday gave a preview of its Marine Life Park, which comprises two areas, the aquarium and the Adventure Cove Waterpark. Both will open tomorrow.

Tickets to both areas are sold separately and will go on sale today from 10.30am. They are priced at $29 for adults and $20 for children. Some attractions in the park will be available only at a later date.

These include immersive programmes, such as ray feeding, a shark-diving encounter and dolphin interaction. They will be rolled out next year.The S.E.A. Aquarium, which is adding to its marine-life numbers

daily, is expected to be home to 100,000 animals."Aquariums as large as ours will take time to mature and flourish. As of now, more than 40 per cent of our marine animals are already in the park," said a

spokesman, adding that by the end of the year, half of the animals will be ready.The aquarium's Open Ocean tank, one of 49 habitats, will feature what is touted to be the world's largest aquarium viewing

panel, measuring 36m wide and 8.3m tall. The Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo currently holds the record for the world's largest acrylic panel, measuring 32.88m wide and 8.3m tall. On Marine Life Park's

opening day, visitors will not be able to see its 25 bottlenose dolphins, even though the first batch of the animals arrived on Monday from the Philippines.RWS said on its blog on Monday that the dolphins

will be under a period of restricted quarantine. As some of the park's attractions are not available yet, ticket prices will be partially rebated with a $5 meal voucher. adrianl@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) is facing indirect contempt charges in a Philippine court.
A judge has set the hearing in Quezon City Court for Feb 15 next year. The charges stem from RWS exporting dolphins while the case was still being heard.
A motion was filed by Earth Island Institute Philippines, Philippine Animal Welfare Society and CARE Welfare Philippines on Nov 20 this year.
It stated that even before and while the court was conducting a hearing on the motion for reconsideration, the respondents including RWS had already flown out 11 dolphins from the country.
One dolphin, Wen Wen, died during the transport to Singapore. Local animal rights group ACRES said there is hope that justice will be served for the dolphins. CHANNEL NEWSASIA