Orlando, Fla. – From Angelfish to Porkfish, SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium has welcomed the first group of colorful fish and marine animals to the 25,000 square-foot aquarium attraction.

Opening May 4, the immersive, one-of-a-kind aquarium experience will eventually be home to more than 5,000 sea animals from the oceans and waters of the world. After each group arrives, the fish and marine life are acclimated to the aquarium waters before moving into one of 32 display habitats. The first grouping features a variety of smaller sea animals, including Everglades Pygmy Sunfish, Butterflyfish and Triggerfish, Moray Eels and several sea snakes such as the Yellow Ratsnake and Rough Green Snake, to name a few.

“The fish and sea animal arrival is a huge milestone for our aquarium,” said Steve Blair, Curator, for SEA LIFE Orlando. “Once our smaller animals are acclimated to their new environments, we'll get the chance for their larger neighbors, such as rays and sharks, to move into the SEA LIFE neighborhood in a few weeks.”

Guests will have the chance to come nose-to-nose with many different sea creatures through a variety of display habitats, cold water rock pools, bubble aquariums, floor-to-ceiling aquariums, and walk through 360-degree and 180-degree clear acrylic tunnels.

For more information on SEA LIFE Orlando, or to purchase tickets, go to VisitSeaLife.com/Orlando.

About SEA LIFE Orlando

Opening May 4, 2015, SEA LIFE Orlando is an immersive, one-of-kind aquarium experience that allows marine life enthusiasts to experience the magical world beneath our oceans of the world with interactive touch pools, bubble aquariums, floor-to-ceiling displays, and 360-degree and 180-degree ocean tunnels featuring more than 5,000 sea creatures. The 25,000-square foot aquarium attraction will be home to colorful fish, sharks, sea horses, sting rays, jellies, sea turtles and much more.

SEA LIFE provides a glimpse of the diversity of marine life, while also playing an active role in animal and environmental conservation. Visitors will see strong evidence of the Breed, Rescue and Protect program with activities around the world, and new projects developed locally, as well as educational initiatives, including guest lectures and talks.

SEA LIFE is the world's largest aquarium chain and SEA LIFE Orlando is the 50th location aquarium launched in the world and the 8th in the U.S. SEA LIFE Orlando is located at 8337 International Drive in Orlando, Florida, inside I-Drive 360, the entertainment and dining complex which is the home of the 400-foot Orlando Eye observation wheel and celebrity wax attraction Madame Tussauds Orlando. For more information, go to www.visitsealife.com/orlando.

Merlin Entertainments

Merlin Entertainments plc is the leading name in location-based, family entertainment. Europe's number one and the world's second-largest visitor attraction operator, Merlin now operates 106 attractions, 11 hotels/3 holiday villages in 23 countries and across 4 continents. The company aims to deliver memorable and rewarding experiences to its almost 63 million visitors worldwide, through its iconic global and local brands, and the commitment and passion of its managers and approximately 26,000 employees (peak season). 

Merlin has twenty four attractions and one hotel in North America  - including two stunning LEGOLAND Resorts – LEGOLAND Florida with its theme park, Water Park, (new Hotel opening May 15, 2015); and LEGOLAND California with its theme park, Water Park, SEA LIFE Aquarium and themed Hotel; Madame Tussauds celebrity wax attractions in New York City, Washington D.C., Las Vegas; Hollywood; and San Francisco with Orlando opening in May 2014; LEGOLAND Discovery Centers in Chicago; Dallas/Fort Worth; Kansas City, Missouri; Atlanta, Georgia; Boston; Westchester, New York; Toronto, Canada; a Dungeon in San Francisco; and SEA LIFE Aquariums in Phoenix, Arizona; Kansas City, Missouri; Michigan; Dallas/Fort Worth; the Mall of America in Minneapolis, Charlotte – Concord, and Michigan with Orlando opening in May 2015 - underlining the company's position as the world's biggest global aquarium operator. Visit www.merlinentertainments.biz for more information.