SeaWorld San Diego Marks Shark Awareness Week With Special Events, Conservation Programs

SAN DIEGO, CA — SeaWorld San Diego is celebrating Shark Awareness Week through Saturday with special exhibits, educational programs and conservation-focused activities highlighting the importance of sharks in ocean ecosystems.

The event, which runs July 27 through Aug. 1, centers on the park's recently opened Shark Encounter attraction, where guests can view sharks from above and below the water while learning about shark facts, behavior and conservation through daily Aquarist Talks by animal care staff.

Visitors also can purchase a behind-the-scenes Shark Up Close experience that includes observing shark feedings and learning about the care of several shark species, including some classified as endangered or critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Additional Shark Awareness Week offerings include meet-and-greets with the park's Sydney Shark character, limited-time shark-themed food, beverages and merchandise, and social media features highlighting different shark species housed at the park.

SeaWorld said its conservation efforts include funding shark research through the SeaWorld Conservation Fund and participating in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Saving Animals From Extinction, or SAFE, program. According to the park, the conservation fund has contributed more than $300,000 to shark research and conservation projects.

SeaWorld is also offering a limited-time summer promotion in which guests who purchase a one-day admission ticket receive a second visit free.

Shark Awareness Week activities are included with park admission, while the behind-the-scenes shark experience requires an additional fee.