MARINELAND

world's first large oceanarium, located near St. Augustine, Fla., U.S. This privately owned, commercial facility was opened to the public in 1938. Its major attractions are display tanks containing marine mammals, where dolphins perform acrobatic feats. These mammals are also used in basic research on animal learning processes and have been the source of many of the major scientific discoveries about learning behaviour in such marine creatures. Marineland is best noted for its mammal exhibits, but it also has a large saltwater fish collection consisting of about 3,000 specimens of 70 species. Most of the fishes, together with marine invertebrates, are displayed in wall aquarium units. A big rectangular tank contains larger species such as tarpons, sharks, rays, moray eels, and barracuda. Visitors are able to observe these specimens through a series of glass windows situated at different levels of the tank.