NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher celebrates record-breaking 500k visitors
FORT FISHER, NC (WWAY) — The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher is celebrating a record breaking year of visitors.
The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher saw 500,000 visitors in a year.
According to a press release, reaching a broader audience is at the core of the Aquarium mission to inspire appreciation and conservation of our aquatic environments.
“Our staff and volunteers are jubilant. We are passionate about creating an exceptional experience for everyone who walks through our doors and committed to inspiring individual action to protect the many fascinating animals at the Aquarium,” Aquarium director Hap Fatzinger said.
NCAFF and its sister facilities, the North Carolina Aquariums at Pine Knoll Shores and Roanoke Island, opened in 1976 as marine resources centers with a combined visitation of 341,000 in their first year of operation. Jennette’s Pier, the oldest fishing pier on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, rounded out the facilities in 2002. The four are among the 100 locations across the state under the management of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
The 92,000-square-foot Aquarium features 400,000 gallons of freshwater and saltwater habitats with a collection of 240 species and 3,893 animals. Some of the animals create an instant connection—Luna, the albino alligator, two Asian small-clawed otter families, Shelldon, the green sea turtle, two loggerhead hatchling sea turtles, two sand tiger sharks, a bonnethead shark and Maverick the bald eagle. All of them endearing and most of them facing extinction.
“With so much at stake, sharing the story of these species takes on greater importance. A trip through the Aquarium is truly an immersive experience sparking solidarity with our mission in so many visitors and we hope it has a ripple effect,” communications manager Deyanira Romo Rossell said.
For the Aquarium, the most important takeaways are that individual actions can make a difference. Some green steps that anyone can take are switching away from single-use plastics to reusable water bottles, shopping bags and straws. More sustainability information is available at Green and Getting Greener. The NC Aquariums are accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the gold standard for animal care and conservation.
“Because of the popularity of our animals, habitats and exhibits, anyone who wants to visit the Aquarium should plan ahead and reserve their tickets online. Especially during the summer months, we have visitors who decide to stop by without tickets and find that we are sold out. We want the experience to be streamlined and special from the beginning to end, so planning ahead can make all the difference,” visitor services manager Joanna Zazzali said.
The Aquarium is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., only closing on Christmas Day and Thanksgiving Day. Advanced online tickets are required to visit the Aquarium. Visit NCAFF Admissions to secure your tickets.
