uShaka Marine World is a 16 hectares (39.5 acre) theme park which was opened in April 2004 in Durban

Durban

Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...

, KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

, South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

. It comprises 4 sections: uShaka Sea World, uShaka Wet 'n Wild, uShaka Beach, and uShaka Village Walk. It is located on the strip of land between the beachfront and the harbour. It was the first phase in the redevelopment of the Durban Point.

History

The park was opened on 30 April 2004 after 3 years of development. In 2005, the park was awarded for "Outstanding Achievement in thematic creative design" by the Themed Entertainment Association.

uShaka Sea World

uShaka Sea World is the 5th largest aquarium in the world, with 32 tanks totaling 17,500 cubic meters of water. The underground aquarium is designed around 5 shipwrecks, with its entrance through the above ground "Phantom Ship", which contains several restaurants including the "Cargo Hold," with a wall sized shark aquarium visible from most of the dining areas, and the "Upper Deck," with views of the open sea exhibits that surround the "ship". The dolphin stadium can seat 1,200 visitors, and the seal stadium can seat about 450.

The aquarium is home to shark species such as ragged-tooth sharks, spinner sharks, hammerhead sharks, and local catsharks, large rays including eagle rays, local moray species including honeycomb morays and geometric morays, local gamefish, and large fish species including giant groupers, potato bass, kingfish, and cobia. uShaka also housed a Manta ray for a short period of time before it was moved to the Georgia Aquarium

Georgia Aquarium

The Georgia Aquarium, located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, at Pemberton Place, is the world's largest aquarium with more than of marine and fresh water housing more than 120,000 animals of 500 different species...

in the United States.

The Dangerous Creatures exhibit includes various reptiles, amphibians and arachnids, some of which are venomous in their newly set-up Dangerous Creatures section, which is apart from the main aquarium. This sub-section contains both local and exotic animals, from rock pythons to Burmese pythons, Nile crocodiles, black mambas, tarantulas, scorpions, and gila monsters to name a few.

uShaka Wet'n Wild

uShaka Wet'n Wild is a water park which contains everything from a lazy river ride that goes through the ship wreck and past some tanks, to high speed slides, and boasts the highest water slide in Africa. It includes a large grass area for relaxing, and its own restaurants.

uShaka Beach

uShaka Beach is a beach which has direct access from the amusement park. It boasts a large pier leading out into the ocean, and sand beaches.

uShaka Village Walk

uShaka Village Walk is designed to look like an African village, and includes restaurants, cafes and other shops.

Financial troubles

The park was built at a cost of R700-million, has been subsidized for a total of R450-million by the eThekwini Municipality, suffered a net loss of R44.5-million, and a total deficit of R377.5-million. There have also been irregular expenditures (expenditures which do not undergo normal procurement procedures) of R3.15-million on the park.