Marineland of Florida

▪ park, Florida, United States

      world's first oceanarium, located about 20 miles (32 km) south of St. Augustine (Saint Augustine), Florida, U.S. The facility was opened to the public in 1938 and was originally called Marine Studios. Marineland was built as an underwater studio for filming marine life. Investors included businessman Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney (Whitney, Cornelius Vanderbilt) and Ilya Tolstoy, grandson of Russian writer Leo Tolstoy. The facility quickly became a major tourist attraction. Techniques for recording the sounds and photographing the behaviour of dolphins were developed there, as were procedures for maintaining marine life in an artificial environment. Marineland has also done research on dolphins and other marine animals; during World War II, a shark repellent was developed to aid the survival of shipwrecked sailors.

      The park is one of Florida's oldest attractions. Dolphin and sea lion shows are performed daily, and penguins and other sea life are also on display. The park includes two oceanariums and a variety of aquariums, including a freshwater tank. Visitors can scuba dive in one of the saltwater tanks.

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