Shark Tank is a bloodbath

[n2doc]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/expats/expats_news/article1739190.ece

Published: 26 Sep 2008

BLOODTHIRSTY shark fights in one of the world’s biggest aquariums are threatening the opening celebrations of a new Dubai shopping centre.
Razor-toothed Sand Tiger sharks have killed at least 40 smaller reef sharks and have been aggressive towards divers working on final preparations in the giant tank.
The ten million-litre aquarium features the world’s largest school of sharks and is the centrepiece of the new 5.9million sq ft Burj Dubai Mall.
But as the grand opening on October 30 creeps closer, fears are rising that the amazing marine spectacle may become a bloodbath before shoppers’ eyes.
Attacked

The tank contains more than 400 sharks and a total of 33,000 living specimens overall, including manta rays.
But the concentration of so many sharks in the same space has caused even the mall’s general manager to admit to some teething problems.
Yousuf Al Ali said: “It is inevitable that aquatic species die, sometimes out of natural causes or out of injuries inflicted by bigger fish species.”
Several divers carrying out maintenance in the tank have also been attacked by the aggressive sharks, which have also damaged some equipment.
The aquarium features a 270-degree acrylic walkthrough tunnel designed to give shoppers close encounters with some of the most diverse marine life on the planet.
At this rate they might get ringside seats at the world’s greatest shark fight.

[amdezurik]

1. oh dear, the poor dear finaciers of 9/11

What a shame their show place has such violence attached to it! They did their best to insulate themselves from that...

[bigscott]

3. in the worlds tallest building no less -

how is that for symbolism?

[gratuitous]

2. Oh, I don't think anyone could have anticipated this!

A shark tank in a shopping center. Thanks, Dubai. Maybe to really round out and complete the picture, you could toss a Filipino or two in there every day for the amusement of the locals.

[Sal Minella]

16. No one could have foreseen that sharks would bite nearby bitables....nt

[SpiralHawk]

25. But they had dozens of WARNINGS, and ignored them all

Including the PDB* of August 6

*Presidential Daily Biting

[Kittycat]

4. "teething problems"

First, this is horrible... But that phrase made me laugh. It's a bit more than a "teething problem"

[alfredo]

5. It should be a lesson for our own species.

[NJmaverick]

6. It's sad, there was a time these sort of wonders

would have been made in America. Instead our $$$$ has gone to invading Iraq and bailing out the Republican screw up on Wall Street

[Marie26]

7. A nice metaphor for Wall Street, no? nt

[Myrina]

8. um .... duh?

:freak:


Maybe the US should volunteer to export a few Financiers and CEO's to the chum-bucket to keep the nastier sharks from eating the littler sharks ...

[Bake]

23. Nah, the sharks wouldn't eat 'em anyway.

It's called "professional courtesy."

Bake

[AlCzervik]

9. i remember when the Monterey bay aquarium acquired an injured great white, she was smallish at the

time and they were surprised when she started eating her tank mates. We weren't surprised. We did see her when she was still there and before she started eating her neighbors, pretty weird seeing an actual great white in captivity, not a good weird either, like a "This won't end well" weird.

[Marrah_G]

11. Jaws 3 !

[AlCzervik]

13. if i can find the pic i took i'll post it, tres freaky.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

15. I think they've tried it twice

Great whites do not deal with walls very well.

[Shakespeare]

24. They've tried it twice--here's a pic I took of great white #2.

He's since been released back into the ocean.

[LeftishBrit]

10. Just to note...

this may well be true but The Sun is a serious contender for worst and least reliable rag in the UK. Against lots of competition.

[norepubsin08]

12. It would be a good place to drop all our Republican

political Leadership and for dessert send in all the talking heads Faux News

[SammyWinstonJack]

18. They'd eat the sharks! Being the predators that they are.

:evilgrin:

[UK populist]

21. When the US tanks Dubai will be one of their favorite haunts

I went there for the 2007 new year and it is amazing how much western money is being poured in to the UAE.
Within 10 years the size of Dubai will quadruple (roughly 40sq km to 160sq km) and that is all the building that has already been planned. The business tax rate is zero% that is why KBR and Halliburton have moved there just to name a few.

[Indenturedebtor]

14. I'm shocked that packing a bunch of sharks into one tank would end this way...

Idiots. I'm sure they didn't even consult a proper marine biologist either. Just "How much wow factor can we squeeze into this tank." Idiots.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

17. This would make an awesome Sci-Fi original movie

Shopping mall with a giant aquarium floods, trapping shoppers with aggressive sharks trying to escape.

[go west young man]

19. Video link to all those oil dollars!

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/98125/dubai_mall/

[Marie26]

26. Eh, where's the indoor ski resort?

Shark tanks are cool, but it still can't compare to the whole indoor ski mountain at the "Mall of Emerites". Or an underwater hotel, or a personal island. Dubai is like some bizarre amusement park for the super-rich.

"Ski Dubai"

[UK populist]

27. Mall of the Emirates itself isn't that big but

Dubai ski which is part of it is the biggest indoor ski slope I have been in and the coldest. It was colder than skiing at lake Tahoe. It is about 5km max from the Burj Dubai Mall and less than 1km the Burj al Arab hotel (7 star sail shape hotel).

[tuckessee]

20. Maybe sharks were meant to be in the open seas? n/t

[Blue_Tires]

22. remember kids; every time you fill up at the pump

a 16-year-old kid in Dubai gets a Ferrari -- that runs on molten gold!

[BuelahWitch]

28. Funny, I thought this was another Wall Street Bailout thread...

:hide: