Esther's photos with the keyword: Seaquarium

No, he's not being followed by a shark. He is "dolphin surfing" at the Curaçao Dolphin Academy. Curaçao Seaquarium AIMG 9446

These little fellows waive their antennae at passing fish and then jump on board to clean the fish of parasites. Curaçao Seaquarium AIMG 9465

The Dolphin Academy at the Curaçao Sea Aquarium AIMG 9380

The Dolphin Academy at the Curaçao Sea Aquarium AIMG 9382

Dolphin Surfing - Curacao Seaqarium AIMG 8924

Called a Rocket Ride, in this maneuver, the trainer is pushed up into the air by two dolphins at the Curacao Seaquarium AIMG 8923

Curacao Seaqarium AIMG 8929

This Caribbean reef octopus resides at the Curacao Seaquarium and can rapidly change color and texture in order to blend into its surroundings, using specialised skin cells known as chromatophores. ODT: Part of the full picture AIMG_0625

Explore - October 20, 2010 #201 Although I normally cringe seeing animals as intelligent as dolphins in captivity. I had to admit that the dolphins at the Curacao Seaquarium did not seem to be miserable. They seemed to enjoy interacting with their trainers, even when they did not receive fishy treats and they swam in a large, natural setting. A number of them, including mothers with babies, would leave the Seaquarium with their trainers to swim in the open ocean with divers and then willingly return to the Seaquarium. ODT: Upside down AIMG_0496

Getting a boost from one of the dolphins at the Curacao Seaquarium ODT: Begins with J (Jump) AIMG_0584

Lionfish are voracious predators with beautiful but venimous sharp spines which they use for defense. They are native to the Indian Pacific Ocean region, not the Caribbean. They began appearing in great numbers after Hurricane Andrew damaged a Florida aquarium in 1992 and allowed six lionfish to escape. The first lionfish in Curacao was spotted in 2009 and since then, they have started appearing with great frequency. This specimen was captured and can be seen at the Curacao Seaquarium. Sharing its tank is Valonia ventricosa (green ball algae), AIMG_0620

Although they look like flowers, they are in fact, social feather duster tube worms. They live in calcareous tubes that they secrete and their feather duster tops are really tentacles attached to the top of their heads that they use for respiration and to trap food. The tentacles are about one inch in diameter and can be instantly retracted into the tube at any sign of danger. Photograph taken at the Curacao Seaquarium. ODT: Soft AIMG_0623