SWIMMING WITH SHARKS
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For many people, nothing compares to the excitement of swimming with sharks in the wild. Tour boat operators in South Africa, Mexico and the Caribbean offer such experiences. They also provide cages to protect swimmers from the animals.
Now, several public aquariums in the United States are letting visitors pay to swim with sharks in enclosed areas. Reporter Tom Banse recently visited one such aquarium in the city of Tacoma, Washington. Today we have his report.
On this day, more than 900 people have already asked permission to take a swim in a tank full of sharks. It is all in a day’s work for Heidi Wilken, an employee at the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Takoma. She tells reporter Tom Banse not to worry as he prepares for his turn.
“We've never had any instances of aggression from our sharks. We've done thousands of dives in this exhibit. So I would say you're very safe.”
“When were the sharks fed last?”
“They are fed twice a week - Tuesdays and Saturdays. And you know, we are not prey items for them. In most cases when there are shark bites, it's a case of mistaken identity.”
A shark swims at the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town, South Africa.
With those words, aquarium employees help get Tom Banse into a dry suit – special clothing that keeps the person wearing it dry. The large saltwater tank holds 17 sharks of six different species, and a number of smaller fish.
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2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25