Crete Aquarium opens at Gournes
Thalassokosmos is its name and it means Sea World
100 different forms of marine life and 1800 fish and other marine
organisms are on view in 1,500,000 litres of sea water, in 32 tanks
with 50 viewing points, at the CretAquarium (Thalassocosmos).
On Sunday 18 December, the largest aquarium in the southeast
Mediterranean opened its doors to the public. The CretAquarium
is the first aquarium built in Greece by Greeks. The country’s
other aquarium, in Rhodes, was constructed by Italians over 80
years ago.
The CreteAquarium has been designed with attention to every detail
and its tanks attempt to imitate the marine environment of Crete.
Visitors before summer will not see the final
picture of the aquarium. This is because everything is being done
gradually so as not upset the delicate balance of the ecosystem.
The first visitors will be able to see only 10% of the final picture,
although even this is impressive in itself. The three sharks from
an aquarium in the south of France may draw the attention of young
and old alike, but the special cameras in the tanks are equally
impressive, allowing visitors to observe details of marine life
otherwise impossible to view.
The Crete Aquarium, apart from being a huge attraction for Crete
bringing financial benefits from local visitors and tourists, also
provides information on marine life and will be a valuable tool
for scientists and marine researchers. For the first time in Crete,
it will be easy to observe and record the secrets of sea creatures
in an environment very close to their natural habitat.
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