Piranhas, sharks and stingrays discovered in Cornish waters this week
February 18th, 2015
Fortunately the piranhas, stingrays and sharks are all safely behind glass at Newquay’s Blue Reef Aquarium, which during half term is running a special Predators Week event .
Almost destroyed by last February’s huge storm driven seas, Newquay Aquarium is once again a firm favourite for visitors to the area and is within easy reach to those staying at The Valley’s cycling holiday accommodation in Cornwall.
Other fearsome creatures on display include slow-moving starfish, poison-tipped lionfish, stone fish, wolf fish, moray eels, octopus, cuttlefish and puffer fish.
Designed to appeal to visitors of all ages, the Predators Week includes special talks, tours and feeding demonstrations as well as family-friendly competitions.
Blue Reef’s Lucy Hackett said: “The aquatic world can be a very dangerous place divided into the hunters and the hunted. Different species have evolved some amazing techniques to catch their prey. Some use high-speed attacks, while others lay in wait for their victims using near-perfect camouflage to keep themselves hidden.
“As humans we often think that we were the first to start using sophisticated artillery but in fact the aquatic world has been using many highly elaborate weapons for centuries in the ongoing underwater arms race. Sonic booms, electricity, missiles, chemical weapons and even fishing rods have all been employed in the never-ending battle for survival,” she added.