Explore underwater wonders by traveling on a moving 340-foot long glidepath along the ocean floor! Wind your way through the tunnel and come face-to-face with sharks, tarpons, sea turtles, giant stingrays, sawfish, and much more. Want to spend more time with these beautiful sea creatures? Learn more about Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies’ Sleep With The Sharks program.
VISIT SHARKS
Growing up to eight feet long, the green moray eel of the Atlantic Ocean continuously opens and closes their mouth to pump oxygen and water over their gills. This exposes their many sharp teeth, giving them a fierce appearance!
Distinguishable by their exposed teeth and ferocious appearance, the sandtiger shark is the largest shark at the Aquarium. Native to warm waters, sandtigers can reach lengths of ten feet and weigh upwards of 400 pounds.
Considered one of the most primitive bony fish, tarpons are super predators. If you’re prey, watch out—tarpons are hungry and on the prowl most of the time! They can grow up to seven feet in length and weigh up to 286 pounds.
Green sea turtles are open-ocean travelers, but dine in shallow water on sea grass, algae, and jellyfish. Destruction of their food source and nesting habitat, along with the harvesting of their eggs, has placed this species on the Endangered Animals List.
Nurse sharks get their name from the sucking noise they make when feeding—sounding remarkably like a baby sucking on a bottle. Nurse sharks are nocturnal and will often rest on the sea floor during the day, sometimes piled on top of each other!
Monsters under your bed? How about giant sharks over your head?! Participate in the Aquarium’s most popular program offered by the Education Department. Join other groups or bring your own and sleep under the sharks at night!
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