Wildlife World Zoo unveils aquarium

After nearly seven years of planning and construction, the only public aquarium between Albuquerque and San Diego opened its doors last weekend.

The aquarium's campus-like design includes some 80 indoor exhibits featuring fish, mammals, birds, invertebrates, amphibians, and reptiles located in three recently completed buildings.

Each building has a different title and theme: The Diversity of Life in Water; The Wild and The Wonderful; and Predators. Notable aquarium species include: black tip reef sharks, black-footed penguins, eels, stingrays, seahorses, barracuda, jellyfish, Nile and dwarf crocodiles. There are nearly 150 new aquatic and semi-aquatic species in all.

The total volume of display tanks, not including miles of plumbing and life support, several new water features, and a log flume ride, is approximately 180,000 gallons of water.

There are also outdoor exhibits including the zoo's fifth ride attraction, a Log Flume Ride. Like its predecessors, the African Safari Train, the Australian Boat, and the idearc media Sky-ride, the flume ride is integrated into live animal exhibits.

At 1,500 feet long, the journey begins by giving riders a close up view of primate islands that feature spider monkeys and capuchin monkeys. Riders then enter a 20-foot long acrylic tunnel - the largest section of acrylic ever installed in Arizona - surrounded by South Pacific Reef fish. The trip closes by soaking riders as they plummet three stories into a splash pool.

Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium has a new park entrance complete with paved, lighted and free parking.

The entrance sits at the corner of Northern and Sarival Avenues, just east of the intersection of Loop 303 and Northern Avenue in Litchfield Park. The new gift shop at the west end features terrestrial zoo animal items while the east gift shop specializes in aquatic animal merchandise.

The largest structure in the complex, the predator building, is home to sharks and stingrays, and is also the site of the Tiburón Aquarium Restaurant and Flamingo Lounge.

From every seat in the main dining room, patrons can view some of the ocean's top predators through two massive acrylic panels that span the 60,000 gallon tank. The menu features a variety of seafood, steaks, chicken, salad, pasta and desserts with a Southwestern flare. Or, enjoy outdoor seating in the Flamingo Lounge, which overlooks a new water feature with dozens of graceful Caribbean flamingos.

Both the Tiburón Restaurant and Flamingo Lounge are open to the public (admission to the aquarium not required) serving lunch and dinner daily from 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. For information, call 623-935-5686 or visit www.tiburonrestaurant.net.

Wildlife World Zoo first opened its doors in 1984. It has received accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums since 1988 and joined the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums in 2004.

A privately owned and operated institution, Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium relies solely on gate attendance and retail sales to generate its operating and capital budgets. It receives zero public tax support, grants, or donations.

The zoo is at 16501 W. Northern Ave. For information, call 623-935-9453.