Apopka World Aquarium
| Apopka World Aquarium | |
|---|---|
| Location | Apopka Lights |
| Type | Aquarium |
| Opening Year | 2035 |
Apopka World Aquarium (AWA) is a renowned aquarium located in Apopka Lights. The aquarium aims to educate individuals on marine life and habitats, rehabilitate injured animals, take care of Marked animals, and promote environmental conservation. The aquarium is the largest in the Land and has operated since 2035.
The aquarium features standard aquarium facilities such as touch pools, a walk-through 360 aquarium, a viewer-friendly rehab center, and a dazzling jellyfish exhibit featuring the Landian Stringtail Jellyfish and an array of smaller standard species.
AWA is most known for its Marked animals exhibits, showcasing images and examples of past Marked marine wildlife and newer animals it has in its care today. The animals within AWA’s care include:
Blossom: A 3 year old pink seal. It makes pink bubbles that it can play with and are hard to pop. It makes enough that they can clean them from the tank and sell them for profit. The first one sold for the day tends to sell for a higher price than all the others.
Niko VII: Claimed to have been caught on Randwell’s coast during a routine commercial fishing trip, Niko is famous for the whirlpools he regularly makes in his tank. Due to his mark he can swim as fast as up to 127mph.
The Coral Corral is a ‘herd’ of giant seahorses (up to the size of normal horses) found in Draywood’s regional waters. The seahorses are tame and capable enough to give underwater rides to people. The rides are 45 dubs for 5 minutes a ride however. An artificial seaweed was made for them to consume in AWA. The Coral Corral consists of Daisy, Nightingale, The End of All Things, Fartstar and Applejack, after the conclusion of a long and arduous fan submission contest.
Hoover: The one and only talking seal— who won’t shut up about fish. He had any fish opinions and is willing to talk anyone’s ears off as long as they have piece of fish to offer. The best fish-based comedian mammalkind will ever know.
The Students: A school of fish that is a hivemind and mimics what’s seen on the other side of the glass. It is easy to make them perform obscene gestures if they’re clear enough. Many people have been escorted from this part of the aquarium for these acts.
Scenestealer: A cuttlefish that is the master of disguise. Sometimes it escapes and hides within guest belongings in an attempt to escape. Sometimes it pretends to be guests themselves.
Controversies
Many environmentalists (notably Dray complaints) note the issues in commercializing Marked marine life to the extent that AWA does, citing their overexposure to humans as harmful and dangerous for those in and outside of the aquarium. Critics also claim that AWA’s claims of the every animal in their care exclusively being able to survive within their facilities are likely stretches of the truth built on prioritizing admissions over actual rehabilitation work.
Trivia
- They say a young man got his head stuck inside of his Blossom ball. It took doctors a week to fully remove the ball from his head. The boy was fed through a straw they were able to put in through a small hole near his neck, as well as a breathing tube.
- Once Scenestealer managed to trick its handlers into taking an actual guest back to their tank. They were gone for a day and a half before being caught and returned home. The guest received an annual pass to the aquarium and a $50 gift card as an apology.