Ocean life as you’ve never seen it thrives in the Atlantis Resort marine habitats, boasting fifty thousand sea animals, eleven lagoons and thirty four acres of teeming waterscape for an unforgettable week of aquatic sightseeing. The wilds of Atlantis, however, go well beyond the waters edge as guests navigate the underwater caverns and mysterious corridors of The Dig, Atlantis’ re-creation of the ancient ruins of this 11,000-year-old city.

2. THE MARINE HABITAT AT ATLANTIS, PARADISE ISLAND OFFERS AN
EDUCATIONAL ENCOUNTER WITH THE WONDERS OF THE WORLD’S SEA LIFE
WORLD’S LARGEST OPEN-AIR MARINE HABITAT BRINGS GUESTS INTO INTIMATE
CONTACT WITH SHARKS, RAYS, PIRANHA AND 50,000 OTHER MARINE ANIMALS
From its opening day in 1994, the Atlantis, Paradise Island Resort in the Bahamas has taken very
seriously its duty to care for the marine animals that inhabit the resort’s expansive waterscape. The
Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) publicly recognized this high standard of care on March 27, 2007,
when Atlantis was granted the prestigious accreditation by AZA’s independent Accreditation Commission.
Before landing in Nassau and getting their first look at the Paradise Island resort and casino, vacationers
may not realize they’ll have the opportunity to explore an extraordinary collection of exhibit lagoons,
pools, coral formations—as well as underwater ruins designed to showcasing exotic marine life ranging
from sharks, rays and barracuda, to piranha, eels and multitudes of tropical fish. The Caribbean resort
offers vacationers access to 14 lagoons with eight million gallons of salt water – home to more than
50,000 aquatic animals and over 250 marine species.
The heart and soul of Atlantis Paradise Island’s oceanic exhibit is the Marine Animal Specialist team who
tend to the daily needs of the aquatic animals. Atlantis Paradise Island’s Marine Animal team has over 63
full-time professionals on staff including Aquarists, Divers, Lab Managers, Food Technicians, Curators, and
Mechanics. Several Marine Animal team members have cross trained at other facilities like the Shedd
Aquarium (Chicago, IL), Monterey Bay Aquarium (California), Sea World (Orlando) and Epcot Living Seas.
Paradise Island’s Marine Animal team has welcomed countless births into the Atlantis’ Aquatic Habitat,
including, in 1997, the first-ever births in a manmade environment of Black-Nose and Caribbean Reef
Sharks. Atlantis Paradise Island’s Habitat has been hailed by shark experts and other marine scientists
for its overwhelming success in creating a healthy, thriving natural environment for an astonishing
variety of the aquatic life—while at the same time, providing valuable interaction for the resort’s guests.
Vacationers enjoying Atlantis, Paradise Island are invited to explore the marine habitat on their own or
on a guided tour with a Navigator, who can share interesting facts on the mythical elements of Atlantis,
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3. as well as its marine inhabitants. Daily feedings are open for viewing in the lagoons and aquatic
sanctuaries; where Atlantis SeaKeepers provide opportunities for resort guests to interact with the sea life.
Atlantis Paradise Island’s SeaKeepers present fascinating information about the different marine
species, as well as their diet and dining habits. Each day, five children three years of age or older
(and under 48 inches tall) join Atlantis SeaKeepers at the resort’s Estuary Lagoon to feed baby fish
and other sea life, as part of the Aqua Tots program. The ability to bring vacationing guests at
Atlantis in contact with the marine life has added an incredible dimension to the resort experience
by raising awareness of our ocean’s ecosystems and prompting support of ocean conservation.
The iconic Bahamian luxury resort and casino continues to awe new and returning visitors to Dolphin
Cay (pronounced “key”), Paradise Island’s dolphin interaction and education center, which was created
with the goal of enlightening vacationers about the wonders of the ocean’s most remarkable inhabitants.
Atlantis guests have the opportunity to meet and interact with one of the world’s most charismatic
animals in an unparalleled encounter that is enriching for both the guests and the dolphins. Guests with
Dolphin Cay reservations will experience an informative introduction to dolphin behavior, physiology
and the importance of marine-life conservation before entering the water for their intimate experience.
In addition to the interactive coves, the facility serves as the best marine mammal rescue and
rehabilitation center in The Bahamas. The dolphins live in seven interconnected resident pools
containing nearly seven million gallons of crystal-clear seawater. The pools provide ample space for
quarantined or stranded dolphins and other marine mammals, medical procedures and care for
pregnant and nursing mothers.
The Atlantis Paradise Island Resort and Casino’s marine operation is an impressive technical feat. Eight
million gallons of sea water are circulated into its lagoons and sanctuaries four times a day. The water is
drawn from the ocean into an open-flow system through a lagoon, then sand filtered and infused with
ozone before flowing into the marine habitat. The resulting habitat, mimics what the marine life would
experience in the wild, with a constant change in surroundings and seasonal changes in temperature.
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4. Some of the behind-the-scenes features that make Atlantis Paradise Islands’s marine facility one of the
most exciting in the world include two fish hospitals with an ingenious elevator system to transport the
marine animals from ocean level to the exhibit lagoons, and two dedicated food preparation areas
serving restaurant quality seafood to its sea creatures. The daily menu, approximately 1,000 lbs of food,
includes a combination of shrimp, squid, sardines and minnows. In addition, cases of romaine lettuce
are served to the herbivorous animals; special food blocks made of dental plaster, pellets and
powdered algae are prepared for the parrotfish; and live shrimp are cultured and fed to the jellyfish.
Behind the learning is a very serious set of programs that have contributed greatly to the conservation
efforts in and around The Bahamas and are in support of research around the world. Atlantis Paradise
Island maintains a breed and release program that allows for the propagation of species at the resort
and subsequent release into the wild. Included in this program are both Southern Stingrays and
Bonnethead Sharks. Once the animals are born, they are quarantined to give them a “head start” and
are then released into the ocean.
The resort and casino is also an advocate for the health and well-being of all the animals in the marine
habitat. Once the habitat becomes too confining for ever-growing species, animals like the Manta Ray
are released back into the wild. The Dig features habitats for 100 venomous Indo-Pacific Ocean Lionfish,
500 piranhas, iridescent jellyfish and six-foot Moray Eels. There are also special environments for 750
lobsters and nine species of enormous groupers. In separate, smaller “Jewel Habitats,” live multitudes
of brilliantly colored tropical fish. An interactive touch tank filled with conch, starfish, sea urchins, sea
cucumbers, crabs and horseshoe crabs was designed to encourage supervised vacationer interaction.
The Paradise Island resort’s marine habitat features 154 sharks, including: 31 Nurse Sharks, 32 Black
Nose Sharks, 13 Caribbean Reef Sharks, 2 Atlantic Black Tip Sharks, 36 Pacific Black Tip Sharks, 33
Bonnethead Sharks, 2 Great Hammerhead Sharks, 2 Zebra Sharks and 3 White Spotted Bamboo Sharks.
The Mayan Lagoon is home to the Caribbean Reef Sharks. The Predator Lagoon is home to even more
giant sharks and four sawfish, visible from a 100-foot see-through underwater pedestrian walkway, as well
as from the suspension rope bridge above. Additionally, the Predator Tunnel features a Giant Pacific
Octopus.
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5. Elsewhere at the luxury resort, visitors have the opportunity to interact with turtles, rays and other
interesting sea life. There are also two underground grottos with underwater views of the lagoons, and
a seven-acre snorkeling lagoon filled with tropical fish for those who prefer their wildlife up very close.
Included Among the Marine Residents at Atlantis, Paradise Island:
• Rays: White-Spotted Eagle Rays, Southern Stingrays, Cownose Rays, Yellow Stingrays
• Smalltooth Sawfish
• Piranhas
• Lionfish
• Spiny Lobsters
• Jellyfish: Moon, Sea Nettels
• Eels: Green Morays
• Wrasses
• Grammas
• Pacific Octopus
• Groupers: Queensland, Jewfish, Black, Yellow, Nassau, Coneys, Hinds, Graysby
• Jacks, Grunts, Snappers, Bonefish, Porgies, Parrots, Angels, Triggerfish, Squirrels,
Tarpon, Bermuda Chub, Lookdowns and many others
Always changing and evolving, the unique marine habitat at the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort and
Casino makes the vacation experience there special for guests from around the world.
ABOUT ATLANTIS, PARADISE ISLAND RESORT, THE BAHAMAS
Atlantis, Paradise Island is the flagship resort of Kerzner International, a leading international developer
and operator of destination resorts, casinos and luxury hotels. This unique, ocean-themed destination is
located on Paradise Island, The Bahamas, and features a variety of accommodations, all built around a
141-acre waterscape comprised of over 20 million gallons of fresh and saltwater lagoons, pools and
habitats. Home to the largest open-air marine habitat in the world, there are over 50,000 marine
animals in lagoons and displays, including The Dig, a maze of underwater corridors and passageways
providing a journey through ancient Atlantis. Atlantis is home to Aquaventure, a non-stop water
experience consisting of thrilling water slides, a mile-long river ride with high intensity rapids and wave
surges, and never-before-seen special effects. Dolphin Cay, the resort’s interaction and education
center, was created with the goal of enlightening visitors about the wonders of these remarkable ocean
inhabitants.
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6. The Cove Atlantis, a 600-room resort, features oversized rooms with a step down living space,
spectacular designs by acclaimed interior architects Jeffrey Beers and David Rockwell, unprecedented
services and amenities, private all-adult and family pools, lavish cabanas and breathtaking views of
the ocean. Atlantis is also known as THE culinary destination in The Caribbean with a collection of
restaurants from world-renowned chefs including Nobu Matsuhisa, Jean-Georges Vongerichten
and Bobby Flay. The resort boasts an impressive collection of luxury boutiques and shops,
and the largest casino, conference center, meeting and convention facilities in The Caribbean.
For further information about the Atlantis, Paradise Island Resort and Casino visit
Atlantis.com or call 954-809-2000. For reservations, call your travel agent or 800-ATLANTIS.
MEDIA INQUIRIES Megan.Marchesini@kerzner.com 212-659-5203
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