Sea Life is a chain of commercial sea life-themed aquarium attractions. As of April 2017[update] there are 53 Sea Life attractions (including standalone Sea Life centres, mini Sea Life features within resort theme parks, and Legoland submarine rides) around the world. The chain is owned by the British company, Merlin Entertainments.
Some of the aquariums now called Sea Life predate this rebrand and existed under different designations prior to their consolidation. The original named attraction was Sea Life Centre in Oban, Scotland, which opened in 1979. By 1992, nine other Sea Life units were opened.[1]
Sea Life Sichuan, China (expected opening in 2024, as of 2021)[2]
In November 2015, Merlin Entertainments announced that over the next 10 years it would invest £50 million in India, some of which will be used to open Sea Life centres.[3] In January 2017, Merlin Entertainments Indian subsidiary stated that it was in discussion with real estate firms to open Sea Life centres in multiple cities in India.[4]
Sea Life Oberhausen, Oberhausen, This is the largest Sea Life Centre in Germany. This was the home of Paul, the octopus who correctly predicted the German national football team's results at the world cup of 2010,[5] until his death in October 2010.
Sea Life centres have been criticised over animal welfare, with the Marine Conservation Society calling a 30% per annum mortality rate "disturbing."[11] The charity Freedom for Animals has criticised Sea Life over their conservation claims and also for the presence of Beluga whales at attractions.[12][13]
Media related to Sea Life at Wikimedia Commons