260,000 litres of water, 8,000 corals and around 10,000 fish make the „Coral Kingdom“ at Loro Parque the largest coral reef outside the ocean. The zoo on Tenerife has opened its latest attraction to visitors.
The „Coral Kingdom“ aims to bring the underwater world to life through all the senses. Loro Parque has announced an experience designed to blend virtual reality with nature. As an added bonus, the aim is to save coral species threatened with extinction.
A great deal of time was spent designing it. The result is a curved pane of continuous glass, around 40 metres long. This is intended to give visitors an unobstructed view of the underwater world of the corals. But that is not all.
This is the „Coral Kingdom“ at Loro Parque in Tenerife
Because Loro Parque combines the real underwater world with 360-degree projections. Thanks to this virtual technology, the installation can be expanded in a way that protects both the environment and the animals.
At the opening in Puerto de la Cruz on Tenerife, the founder of Loro Parque, Wolfgang Kiessling, announced that the zoo also wished to contribute to species conservation underwater:
The atoll is also home to 8,000 live corals from 70 different genera. In addition, there are just under 10,000 fish, including clownfish, palette surgeonfish, butterflyfish, reef groupers and numerous other species.
The ‚Coral Kingdom‘ at Loro Parque is intended to recreate parts of the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Queensland in north-eastern Australia. At the same time, according to the operators, it is intended to contribute to species conservation. This is because the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia is also affected by environmental factors.
Corals are considered to be at risk of extinction
According to the park, large parts of the coral population known today could be extinct by 2050. Loro Parque describes these ecosystems as ‚forests of the sea‘, which are essential for maintaining the ecological balance there.
It is as yet unclear whether Loro Parque – as with its parrot programme – will also assist with the reintroduction of corals into the wild. However, the zoo on Tenerife announced as early as its opening that it intended to help with research into cnidarians.
Loro Parque on Tenerife is regarded as one of the most unique zoos in the world. It is home to, amongst other things, a huge population of parrots, as well as sea lions, dolphins and orcas. The park’s keeping of orcas, in particular, regularly attracts criticism. You can find all the information, photos and news about Loro Parque in Tenerife right here.
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